GIFT  OF 


?,  DEPT, 


How  to  Make 
the 


Garden 
Pay 


By 

/.£s'    - 
.  Greiner 


Published  by 

WM.  HENRY  MAULE 

Philadelphia 

1890 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress  in  the  year  1890,  by 

WM.  HENRY  MATJLE, 
in  the  office  of  the  librarian  of  Congress  at  Washington. 


Prefatory  Remarks 

By  the  Publisher. 


A  work  on  gardening,  up  to  the  times  and  fully  explaining 
all  modern  methods,  has  long  been  needed.  Several  years  ago 
I  started  the  rough  outline  of  a  treatise  on  this  subject,  but 
owing  to  my  time  being  so  largely  taken  up  with  my  varied 
business  interests,  I  found  it  impossible  to  finish  it ;  and  to  tell 
the  truth  I  did  not  feel  competent  to  handle  the  subject  as  it 
deserved.  At  this  stage  of  the  proceedings  my  friend, 
Mr.  T.  Greiner,  offered  to  take  a  hand,  and  for  a  year  or  more  he 
has  been  busy  writing  the  following  pages,  which  I  take  pleasure 
in  presenting  to  the  public  as  the  very  best  and  most  practical 
work  ever  written  for  the  benefit  of  the  American  vegetable 
gardener. 

I  am  confident  it  will  prove  the  stepping-stone  to  successful 
gardening  for  many  thousands  who  are  now  unacquainted  with 
this,  the  noblest  calling  on  earth ;  while  I  know  it  will  give  many 
profitable  common-sense  ideas  to  those  who  are  even  now  high 
up  in  the  profession. 

Yours  very  truly, 

WM.  HENRY  MAULE. 


-.      , 


INDEX. 


Acme,  Harrow 42 

Ammonia,  Sulphate  of    ...  38 

Anise 140 

Ants 91 

Aphis 91 

Aquaculture,  Cole's     .       .    .  88 

Artichoke,  Globe 140 

Artichoke,  Jerusalem    ....  141 

Asparagus 142-146 

Asparagus  Beetle      92 

Asparagus  Buncher     ....  145 

Basil,  Sweet 147 

Bean,  Weevil     , 93 

Beans,  Bush 147 

Beans,  Pole 150 

Beet,  Mangel  and  Sugar     .    .  156 

Beets 154 

Birds,  Injury  by 103 

Boll  Worm 95 

Borage 160 

Bordeaux  Mixture 105 

Borecole,  or  Kale 204 

Boy  Help  .-...' 133 

Broccoli 160 

Brussels  Sprouts 161 

Cabbage  for  Early  Market     .  161 
Cabbage   Maggot  (see  Onion 

Fly) 98 

Cabbage,  Plusia 93 

Cabbage,  Wintering     ....  164 

Cabbage  Worm 93 

Cabbages,  Late 163 

Caraway      170 

Cardoon      169 


Carrots 170 

Catnip 173 

Cauliflower 173 

Celeriac 187 

Celery,  Blanching 178 

Celery  Bleachers   .    .    .    .  125,  180 

Celery,  Growing  plants   ...  175 

Celery  Planting 177 

Celery,  Southern  method    .    .  183 

Celery,  Storing 180 

Celery,  Turnip-rooted  ....  187 

Celery,  Varieties 185 

Celery  Worm 95 

Chervil,  Turnip-rooted    ...  187 

Chicory 188 

Chives 188 

Cold  Frames,  How  made  .    .  49 

Cold  Frames,  Use  of  .    .    ,    .  51 

Colewort,  or  Collard    ....  1 88 

Collard,  or  Colewort     ....  188 

Coriander 189 

Corn,  Pop 193 

Corn  Salad 189 

Corn,  Sweet 189 

Corn,  Sweet  Varieties  ....  192 

Corn  Worm 95 

Cotton-seed  Meal  as  Fertilizer  39 

Cress,  or  Pepper-grass    .    .    .  193 

Cropping  Close 116 

Cucumber      194 

Cucumber  Beetle  ......  95 

Cucumbers,  Under  glass    .    .  71 

Cultivation  vs.  Drought  ...  130 

Cutaway  Harrow 42 

Cut  Worms ^ 


Index. — 5 


Dandelion      197 

Dibbers      43 

Dill 197 

Distances    of    Planting    and 

Thinning    . 53 

Drainage 83 

Draining  Tools 84 

Drought,  Precautions  against  128 

Egg  Plant 198 

Endive 199 

Fennel 200 

Fertilizers,  Application  of  .    .  36 

Fertilizers,  Commercial  ...  34 

Fertilizers  for  Quick  Action    .  40 

Fertilizers,  Sowing  by  Hand  .  36 

Fetticus 189 

Fire  Hot-beds,  Plans   ....  64 

Firming  Board 58 

Firming  the  Roots  in  Plants  .  124 

Flats  for  Hot-beds 60 

Flats,  Soil  for 61 

Flea  Beetle 97 

Forcing  Pit,  Amateur  ....  82 

Forcing  House,  Cold   ....  67 

Forcing  House,  Cost  of  ...  69 

Forcing  House,  Crops  in    .    .  70 

Forcing  Pit,  Heating   ....  75 

Forcing  Pit,  Plan  of     ....  74 

Forcing  Pits,  Simple    ....  73 

Forcing  Vegetables,  Profits  of  72 

Frost,  Precautions  against  .    .  130 

Fungus  Diseases  of  Plants     .  104 


Garlic 

Germination,  Principles  of 

Gourds    

Grading  Products     .    .    .    . 
Greenhouse,  Amateur  .   . 


200 
109 

200 
29 
82 


Greenhouses 73 

Grubs,  White 98 

Hand  Cultivator 45 

Hand  Weeders 119 

Harrows 42 

Hired  Help 133 

Hot-bed  Heating 66 

Hot-beds,  Fire 62 

Hot-beds,  How  Made  ....  57 

Hot-beds,  Location  for     ...  56 

Home  Gardening 1 1 

Home  Garden,  Profits  of     .    .  14 

Horehound 202 

Horse  Hoes 47 

Horse  Radish 202 

Hyssop 204 

Implements 41 

Insect  Foes     ........  90 

Insect  Powders      94 

Insect  Preventives 91 

Insects,  Rotation  for    ....  90 

Irrigation 87 

Kale  or  Borecole 204 

Kitchen  Garden,  Arrangement 

of  Beds 21 

Kitchen  Garden,  Plan  of  .  20-22 
Kitchen  Garden,  Selection  of 

Site  19 

Kohl-Rabi  205 

Lavender 206 

Leek 2o6 

Lettuce 207 

Lettuce,  Mildew 106 

Manure,  Composting  ,  .  .  .  32 
Manures  for  Garden  ....  31 
Manure,  Stable 32 


6 — How  to  Make  the  Garden  Pay. 


Marjoram,  Sweet 210 

Markers      43 

Market  Gardening  and  Truck 

Farming 16 

Marketing,  Hints  in     ....  28 
Market  Gardening  :  Require- 
ments of  Success  ...  25 
Market  Gardening :  Soil   and 

Location 24 

Martynia 211 

Mats,  Straw 60 

May  Beetle 98 

Meeker  Harrow 42 

Melon  Leaf  Blight   ....  106 

Melon,  Musk 211 

Melon,  Water 214 

Mint 218 

Moles,  Trapping  ......  103 

Monthly  Memoranda  ....  135 

Muck,  Fertilizers  for    ....  39 

Mushroom 218 

Mustard 219 

Nasturtium 219 

Nitrate  of  Soda 38 

Nitrates 37 

Nitrogen  in  Fertilizers    ...  35 

Novelties,  Testing 114 

Okra 220 

Onion 220 

Onion  Fly 98 

Onion    Growing.       A    Novel 

Method 226 

Onion  Set  Harvester  ....  45 

Onion  Sets,  Growing  ....  221 

Onions  for  Market 222 

Onions,  Growing  Bunch    .    .  222 

Onions,  Varieties 227 

Oyster  Plant 251 


Parsley 228 

Parsley  Worm 99 

Parsnip 229 

Peanut 230 

Pea  Weevil 100 

Peas 231 

Pennyroyal 236 

Pepper 234 

Peppergrass  or  Pepper    ...  193 

Peppermint 236 

Pit  for  Wintering  Vegetables  160 

Plant  Box  in  Window   ...  81 

Plant  Lice 91 

Plant  Protectors 125 

Planting,  Deep  and  Shallow  .  127 
Planting  Spindling  Plants  .    .  126 
Plants,  Growing  Early    ...  80 
Plants,  Starting  Early  in  Hot- 
Bed  58 

Plowing,  Sample  of  Faulty  .  41 

Potash  for  Mucky  Soil    ...  39 

Potato  Beetle 100 

Potato,  Sweet 244 

Potatoes,  Early  Crops    .    .    .  239 

Potatoes,  Field  Culture   .   .    .  240 

Potatoes,  Garden  Culture  .    .  239 

Potatoes,  Harvesting  ....  242 

Potatoes,  Soil  and  Manure   .  237 

Potatoes,  Varieties 243 

Potatoes,  White 237 

Poultry  Manure 38 

Preliminary   Remarks  of  the 

Author 9 

Protecting  Plants,  Devices  of  131 

Pruning  Plants 125 

Puddling 124 

Pumpkin 246 

Putty  Bulb,  Improved     ...  50 


Index. 


Radish 246 

Radishes  Under  Glass    ...  71 

Radishes,  Varieties 247 

Rats,  How  to  Destroy  ....  103 

Rhubarb 250 

Rosemary 250 

Rotation 116 

Rue 251 

Rutabagas      262 


Sage 251 

Salsify 251 

Savory,  Summer  .....  252 

Savory,  Winter 252 

Scorzonera 252 

Sea  Kale 252 

Seed  Drills 44 

Seeds  on  Commission  ....  108 

Seeds,  Vitality  of 112 

Shallot ...  253 

Shutters  for  Hot-Beds  ...  59 

Smoothing  Harrow 42 

Snails .  .  101 

Soils,  Water  Holding  Capacity 

of 129 

Sorrel 253 

Sowing  by  Hand 1 1 1 

Sowing  in  Hard  Soil  ....  no 

Sowing  with  Drill no 

Spinach 253 

Spinach  Under  Glass  ....  70 

Sprinkler,  Vine  and  Plant  .  .  101 

Squash 255 

Squash  Vine  Borer 102 

Squash  Vine,  Layered  .  .  .  102 
Strawberry  Blossoms,  Perfect 

and  Imperfect 267 

Strawberry  Culture 264 

Strawberry  in  Home  Garden  270 


Strawberry   Insects  and   Dis- 
eases    271 

Strawberry  Plants,  Quality  of  266 
Strawberry,  Varieties  ....  272 
Strawberries,  Fancy  ....  265 
Strawberries,  Manuring  .  .  .  265 
Strawberries,  Planting  .  .  .  268 
Strawberries,  Winter  Protec- 
tion   270 

Sub-Irrigation 88 

Sulphate  of  Copper     ....    104 

Thinning  Plants 121 

Thyme 257 

Tiles,  Laying 85 

Tomato 258 

Tomato  Enemies 259 

Tomato  Rot  ........  105 

Tomato,  Winter  Forcing    .    .  258 
Tomatoes  Under  Glass   ...      71 

Transplanting 124 

Trellis  for  Lima  Beans    ...  151 

Turnips' 261 

Tweezers  for  Killing  Bugs    .    .102 

Underdraining 83 

Underdraining,  Advantages  of    86 

Vegetable  House 26 

Vitality  of  Seeds 112 

Water  Cress 193 

Water  Heater,   Base-Burning    82 

Watering  Cold  Frames  ...  54 

Weeding  by  Hand 119 

Weeds,  How  Managed  t   .   .  118 

Wheel-Hoes 45 

Wire  Worm 102 

Wood  Ashes 40 

Wood  Ashes  Holding  Moisture  1 29 

Woodchucks,  Destroying .    .  103 


PRELIMINARY    REMARKS 

BY  THE  AUTHOR. 

ARDENING,  in  the  minds  of  average  people,  is  a 
dreadful  combination  in  its  requirements  of  skill 
and  unceasing  drudgery.  Many,  especially 
farmers,  doubt  their  ability  to  acquire  the  one 
without  giving  more  time  and  thought  than  they 
can  afford  to  devote  to  the  garden,  and  fear  the 
other.  Hence  home  gardening  is  often  at  a 
discount.  To  disabuse  the  minds  of  the  masses 
of  this  only  too  common  error,  to  convince  people  in  rural 
districts,  and  in  the  suburbs  of  cities,  that  gardening  in  reality  is 
a  very  strong  combination  of  pleasure,  health  and  profit,  and  to 
point  out  the  ways  and  means  how  to  relieve  the  task  of  all 
semblance  of  drudgery — that  is  one  of  the  aims,  and  perhaps  the 
chief  one,  of  this  volume. 

We  have  no  reason  to  complain  of  lack  of  literature  on  the 
subject  of  gardening  at  present.  Every  agricultural  paper  of  the 
day  has  a  Horticultural  Department,  more  or  less  prominent,  and 
often  conducted  by  good  practical  men  ;  and  some  good  monthlies 
are  almost  exclusively  devoted  to  horticulture,  the  only  gap 
existing  now  being  a  periodical  devoted  exclusively  to  vegetable 
gardening — a  gap  which  still  remains  unfilled,  less  for  want  of 
enterprise  on  the  part  of  publishers  than  for  lack  of  sufficient 
support  on  the  part  of  the  masses  who  have  as  yet  not  awakened 
to  the  importance  of  the  subject. 

Our  present  rate  of  progress  in  the  Art  of  Gardening  is  a 
most  rapid  one.  The  methods  have  changed,  and  are  changing 
every  day,  decidedly  in  the  direction  and  with  the  tendency  of 
cheapening  the  cost  of  production,  lessening  hand  labor,  and 
making  gardening  more  profitable  and  more  pleasant.  While 
the  gardener  thus  cannot  with  safety  neglect  to  grasp  the 
opportunities  which  the  publication  of  horticultural  periodicals 
offer  to  him  for  keeping  himself  informed  about  the  progress  we 
are  making,  and  the  methods  employed  by  the  most  successful 
gardeners  of  the  period,  on  the  other  hand  he  needs  a  guide 
giving  minute  instructions  in  every  department,  a  guide  which 
he  can  consult  in  an  emergency,  and  from  which  he  can  learn 
the  very  latest  "  cioss-cuts  "  to  success  ;  a  guide  pointing  out  how 
different  the  task  of  raising  garden  stuff  is,  or  might  be  made, 

(9) 


io — How  to  Make  the  Garden  Pay. 

from  old-time  and  old-style  gardening ;  how  the  gardener  can 
elevate  himself  above  the  slave-work  of  former  days,  and  make 
his  labors  light  and  pleasant.  Knowledge  is  power.  The  former 
servant  of  the  soil  can  and  should  make  himself 

MASTER  OF  THE  SITUATION. 

While  in  the  following  pages  I  shall  attempt  to  teach  the 
whole  of  the  art,  in  the  aspects  that  have  been  revealed  to  me 
during  long  years  of  practice,  study  and  experiment,  and  propose 
to  conform  these  instructions  with  the  needs  of  the  new  beginner, 
both  in  kitchen  and  market  gardening,  I  am  quite  certain  that 
even  the  experienced  horticulturist  can  find  new  truths  and 
valuable  suggestions  in  it.  and  it  will  pay  all — novice  and  expert 
— to  look  these  pages  over  carefully.  Any  one  of  my  readers 
who  thus  far  has  remained  in  the  old  ruts,  let  him  turn  over  a 
new  leaf  and  try  the  newer  ways  that  I  point  out ;  for  gardening, 
like  life,  is  what  you  yourself  make  of  it — a  paradise  of  pleasure 
or  a  veritable  sheol  of  drudgery.  You  have  the  decision  in  your 
own  hands.  You  may  leisurely  accompany  your  visitors  through 
the  well-kept  grounds  that  are  beaming  with  thrifty,  sparkling 
vegetation,  as  your  own  countenance  is  beaming  with  pleasure 
and  satisfaction,  and  that  is  as  free  from  weeds  as  your  face  is 
free  from  care  ;  or  you  may  crawl  through  the  beds  on  hands  and 
knees,  piling  up  stacks  of  weeds,  with  a  face  sour  and  distorted 
in  hatred  of  yourself  and  the  life  you  are  leading.  My  instruc- 
tions, if  faithfully  followed,  will  insure  you  the  former  conditions, 
and  save  you  from  the  curse  of  the  latter. 

I  am  not  dealing  with  flowers  in  this  work ;  hence  shall  not 
attempt  to  use  flowery  language.  We  have  to  do  with  plain 
substantial  things,  matter-of-fact  conditions,  and  simple  truths. 
In  these  pages  a  plain  every-day  farmer  and  gardener,  not  a 
"  Professor  of  Horticulture,"  speaks  to  plain  every-day  people, 
and  the  language  used  will  correspond  with  the  condition  of 
writer  and  reader,  plain,  practical,  common-sense,  without  useless 
flourishes  and  poetic  ornamentation.  Let  the  kind  reader  look 
for  beauty  and  poetry  in  the  garden  itself. 

From  these  explanations  I  think  you  will  readily  under- 
stand the  aim  and  the  scope  of  this  work ;  and  I  only  hope  it 
will  aid  in  making  gardening  more  popular,  and  a  more  prolific 
source  of  pleasure  and  profit  to  many. 

It  still  remains  to  be  said  that  the  work  was  composed  on 
the  suggestion  of  Mr.  Wm.  Henry  Maule,  of  Philadelphia,  who 
has  undertaken  its  publication,  and  if  the  reader  receives  any 
benefit  from  its  perusal,  he  is  indebted  to  him  in  the  first  place — 
more  than  even  to  the  author. 

T.  GREINER. 
AUTUMN,  1889. 


CHAPTER  I. 

HOME  GARDENING. 

GARDENING  FOR  PLEASURE,  HEALTH,  PROFIT  AND  MORALITY. 
"  Man  shall  not  live  by  bread  alone." 

OW  I  pity  the  people  who  from  choice  or  necessity 
are  confirmed  eaters  of  hog,  and  the  murderous 
monotony  of  whose  scrofulous  diet  is  not  broken 
or  offset  by  the  gratifying  changes  which  the 
home  garden  affords.  How  I  pity  the  sad-eyed 
house-wife  with  the  daily  questions  on  her  mind 
"What  shall  I  cook  for  breakfast,  what  for  din- 
ner, and  what  for  supper?"  with  nothing  but 
the  pork  barrel,  the  flour  chest  and  the  potato  bin  from  which  to 
draw  material.  How  I  pity  the  mother  whose  children  are 
crying  for  fruit  and  vegetables,  and  who  is  compelled  to  hand 
them — worse  than  a  stone — a  piece  of  salt  meat.  And  above  all, 
how  I  pity  the  children — the  blessed  children  with  their  natural 
craving  for  the  luscious  fruits  and  the  crisp  vegetables  of  the 
garden,  ever  yearning  for  them  as  the  deer  is  for  salt,  or  the  fam- 
ished traveler  in  the  desert  for  water — but  their  desire  never  to  be 
satisfied,  unless  they  steal  the  articles  that  their  nature  urgently 
demands  from  the  gardens  of  more  fortunate  neighbors. 

With  the  opportunities  that  the  vast  territory  of  the  States, 
with  its  thirty  acres  of  land,  six  of  them  arable,  to  each  inhabi- 
tant, affords  to  its  people,  there  is  no  need  of  many  families 
depriving  themselves  of  garden  privileges,  and  there  is  not  the 
slightest  excuse  for  people  in  the  rural  districts  to  do  without 
them. 

The  physician,  the  lawyer,  the  preacher,  the  book-keeper, 
the  bank  clerk — in  short  all  people  whose  life  occupation  confines 
them  to  study  or  office  for  a  large  part  of  the  day,  and  who  for 
this  reason  are  in  danger  of  waxing  tender  and  sensitive  like  hot- 
house plants — will  find  the  gratification  of  the  greatest  need  of 
their  lives  in  a  little  garden  of  their  own,  namely,  contact  with 
nature,  unadulterated  air,  relaxation  and  recreation,  pleasure, 
health  and  ruggedness,  not  to  speak  of  the  more  substantial  and 
more  immediate  results :  freshly-plucked  berries  (not  the  stale 
fruit  of  the  market  stands,  in  the  first  or  more  advanced  stages 
of  decay — in  other  words,  half-rotten),  crisp  lettuce  and  radishes 


12 — How  to  Make  the  Garden  Pay. 

(not  the  wilted  stuff  of  the  dealer),  peas  and  beans,  with  the 
morning  dew  still  on  them,  and  melons  in  all  their  perfection, 
freshness  and  lusciousness.  With  people  of  this  class  the 
question  of  profit  may  have  little  weight ;  but  the  home-garden 
affords  a  combination  of  pleasure  and  health  which  nobody,  and 
be  he  a  millionaire,  can  well  afford  to  overlook  or  ignore.  The 
greatest  luxuries  of  the  garden  cannot  be  bought  with  mere 
money. 

For  the  hard-working  mechanic,  on  the  other  hand,  who 
passes  so  many  hours  daily  in  the  dust-laden,  gas-impregnated 
atmosphere  of  the  shop,  the  point  of  profit  enters  more  largely 
into  this  question,  with  that  of  recreation  in  open  air,  and  plea- 
surable contact  with  nature  still  prominent.  The  garden  need 
only  be  small,  for  much  manual  exercise  in  not  often  desirable, 
although  as  it  comes  in  a  different  way  from  that  of  the  shop, 
resting  the  muscles  already  tired,  and  giving  exercise  to  those  not 
called  in  operation  by  the  regular  shop  work  (thus  serving  to 
produce  the  natural  balance  of  the  life  forces  and  muscles  in  the 
same  way  as  garden  work  served  to  establish  the  equilibrium 
between  the  mental  and  physical  functions  of  the  office  man), 
the  work  of  the  garden  may  only  come  as  a  pleasant  change  to 
the  mechanic,  and  not  at  all  appear  tiresome.  His  good  spouse, 
less  occupied  with  household  duties  than  the  farmer's  wife,  will 
also  find  a  needed  change  from  indoor  life  and  kitchen  routine  in 
the  fragrant  atmosphere  of  the  home  garden,  and  the  manual 
labor  for  both  should  not  be  feared,  for  an  abundant  supply  of 
superior  vegetables  can  be  produced  on  a  small  piece  of  ground, 
if  proper  tools  and  methods  are  used. 

With  the  farmer  the  question  of  raising  vegetables  is  chiefly 
one  of  profit,  although  other  points  are  not  unimportant.  Many 
farmers  who  till  plenty  of  good  land  concentrate  all  their  efforts 
upon  the  production  of  wheat,  corn,  oats,  wool,  cattle  or  other 
so-called  "  money  crops,"  and  pay  little  or  no  attention  to  the 
home  garden.  So  we  have  the  astonishing  and  deplorable  fact 
that  a  majority  of  American  farmers  have  no  garden  worthy  to 
be  called  a  "family  garden,"  unless  so  named  because  it  is  entirely 
given  into  the  care  of  the  already  over-worked  farmer's  wife  and 
other  members  of  the  family,  especially  of  the  half-grown  boys, 
if  they  in  true  appreciation  of  the  good  things  to  be  had  in 
compensation,  consent  to  spend  an  extra  working  hour  now  and 
then  in  hoeing  and  pulling  weeds.  Outraged  nature,  unappeased 
hunger  for  vegetable  food  often  makes  them  submit  without 
grumbling  to  the  lesser  outrage  of  imposing  an  extra  amount  of 
work  on  their  young  shoulders. 

Fried  Pork,  fried  potatoes,  poor  bread  from  poorly  ground 
flour,  lardy  pies,  and  rich  cakes — these,  with  hardly  a  variation, 
are  the  chief  articles  of  food  for  thousands  of  farmer  families. 


Home  Gardening — 13 

Can  you  draw  health  from  a  pork  barrel  ?     No  more  than  you 
can  gather  grapes  from  a  thorn  bush. 

Many  a  farmer  having  sown  a  half  acre  or  so  of  Black-Eye 
Marrowfat  or  Canadian  Field  peas,  from  which  his  family  may 
have  an  abundant  supply  of  green  peas  for  a  whole  week,  and 
given  them  the  privilege  to  help  themselves  to  all  the  roasting 
ears  they  may  desire  from  the  corn  field  (half  a  mile  away)  for 
another  whole  week,  is  self-satisfied  with  his  generosity,  and 
boasts  that  his  full  duty  is  done.  According  to  statistics  taken 
in  Illinois  in  1888,  only  seventeen  per  cent,  of  the  farmers  had 
the  luxury  of  a  strawberry  patch.  Think  of  this.  Only  one 
boy  in  every  six  knew  what  it  was  to  pluck  the  luscious  fruit 
from  the  vine,  and  eat  to  his  heart's  content!  Without  the 
stimulating,  cooling  and  cheering  effect  of  fruit  and  vegetable 
diet,  what  wonder  that  the  blood  of  so  many  becomes  sluggish 
and  laden  with  impurities;  what  wonder  the  stomach  revolts  at 
the  excess  of  grease,  and  becomes  nauseated  from  want  of 
change ;  what  wonder  the  race  degenerates,  dyspepsia,  scrofula, 
and  similar  afflictions  are  becoming  alarmingly  frequent  and 
general,  while  the  concocters  and  venders  of  patent  quack  medi- 
cines are  making  fortunes !  What  wonder  the  sons  leave  the 
farm,  and  rush  to  the  city,  and  the  daughters  have  no  desire  to 
sell  themselves  into  new  bondage  and  deprivations  by  marrying 
farmers!  Boy  nature  (and  girl  nature  either)  will  not  long  sub- 
mit to  the  daily  farm  routine  of 

"  All  work  and  no  play 
All  pork  and  no  pay." 

Even  the  dullest  kind  of  a  Jack  will  remonstrate  against  and 
resent  this  treatment.  I  have  been  a  boy  once,  and  I  have 
learned  the  irresistible  attraction  that  luscious  strawberries, 
raspberries,  gooseberries,  currants,  plums,  pears,  nuts,  etc.,  have 
for  young  people — and  old  ones  too,  for  that  matter.  Nature 
only  claims  her  rights,  and  will  not  be  outraged  with  impunity. 
I  have  learned  the  charms  hidden,  in  crisp  lettuce,  radishes,  green 
peas,  and  the  like,  in  spring  when  the  human  internal  machinery 
is  clogged  with  a  winter's  excess  of  animal  food. 

There  is  nothing  in  this  wide  world,  that  with  just  and  fair 
treatment  otherwise  will  keep  the  farmer's  boys  and  girls  content 
with  rural  life,  and  make  them  appreciate  the  great  natural 
advantages  of  their  situation  as  does  a  good  home  garden  and  a 
bountiful  supply  of  good  fruits,  and  nothing  that  will  bring  the 
bloom  and  happy  smile  on  the  good  wife's  face  as  the  assistance 
she  will  receive  from  the  same  source  in  solving  the  problem 
how  to  provide  the  three  daily  meals  to  the  satisfaction  of  all. 

I  have  already  alluded  to  the  moral  side  of  the  question. 
The  half-starved,  lean-faced  street  gamin  standing  in  front  of  the 


14 — How  to  Make  the  Garden  Pay. 

baker's  show  window,  and  longingly  contemplating  the  loaves, 
pies,  cakes  and  other  dainties  displayed  in  tempting  array  before 
his  eyes,  is  not  an  uncommon  sight,  and  it  has  often  filled  my 
inmost  soul  with  pity.  Imagine  the  youngster  with  an  intense 
longing  for  fruit  and  vegetables  peeking  through  the  picket 
fence  which  divides  his  brute  father's  possessions  from  the 
garden  of  his  neighbor  whose  fortunate  children  he  can  watch 
as  they  are  gathering  strawberries,  or  pulling  crisp  radishes  in 
joy  and  glee.  There  is  the  luscious  and  coveted  fruit  almost 
within  his  reach,  and  temptingly  displayed.  Will  you  wonder 
if  the  boy,  the  first  chance  he  gets  to  do  so  unobserved,  removes 
a  picket,  and  crawls  into  what  to  him  is  paradise  beyond,  and 
helps  himself  to  what  really  is  his  due  ?  If  the  father  refuses  to 
grow  these  things  in  his  garden,  and  has  "  no  money  to  spare  for 
such  luxuries,"  the  boy  will  have  no  scruples  to  take  surreptitiously 
what  is  so  temptingly  put  before  him.  Average  human  nature 
is  not  built  that  way,  to  be  strong  enough  against  such  odds. 
You  cannot  extract  purity  from  glittering  temptation,  or  morality 
from  undue  restriction,  no  more  than  health  from  the  pork  barrel. 
The  man  who  willfully  and  needlessly  deprives  his  family  of  the 
privileges  of  a  good  vegetable  garden  fails  in  one  of  his  fore- 
most duties.  He  cannot  possibly  be  a  good  husband,  nor  a 
good  father,  and  he  certainly  is  not  a  good  Christian  / 

Neither  does  he  deserve  to  be  called  a  good  manager  ;  for 
the  question  of  profit  also  enters  in  this  combination.  Self- 
interest  is  a  strong  motive  power.  Here  I  wish  I  were  able  to 
convince  every  farmer  in  this  glorious  country  of  the  great  truth 
that  an  acre  of  vegetable  or  fruit  garden,  properly  taken  care  of, 
will  be  the  most  profitable  acre  on  the  farm ,  a  fact  as  undeniable 
as  it  is  important,  and  one  that  will  bear  the  most  rigid 
investigation. 

The  amount  of  "  green  stuff"  that  can  be  produced  on  a 
single  acre,  well  tilled,  in  a  single  summer,  is  simply  incredible 
— wagon  loads  upon  wagon  loads;  and  there  need  not  be  a 
single  meal  from  early  spring  until  winter  that  is  not  made 
more  cheerful,  more  palatable,  more  wholesome,  and  altogether 
more  enjoyable  by  the  presence  of  some  good  dishes  from  the 
garden,  not  to  say  anything  about  the  canned  tomatoes,  peas, 
berries  and  the  crisp  stalks  of  celery,  etc.,  during  the  winter 
months.  I  and  my  family  live  almost  exclusively  on  the 
product  of  garden  and  poultry  yard  during  the  entire  summer, 
and  we  enjoy  pretty  good  health  generally.  No  meat  bills  to 
pay,  no  nausea  caused  by  greasy  food,  no  dyspepsia !  Think  of 
sixty  meals  with  big  plates  of  strawberries,  and  sixty  more  with 
raspberries  and  blackberries!  Think  of  the  wholesome  dishes  of 
asparagus,  of  the  young  onions,  radishes,  the  various  salads, 
the  green  peas  and  beans,  the  pickles  and  cucumbers,  the 


Home  Gardening — 15 

tomatoes,  squashes,  melons,  etc. !  And  all  this  practically  with- 
out expense,  at  least,  without  cash  outlay.  There  is  plenty  of 
good  manure  in  the  barn-yard;  horses  stand  in  the  stable  more 
or  less  unused  during  the  gardening  season,  and  the  needed 
labor  can  also  be  had  in  an  emergency.  At  the  same  time  few 
farmers  will  have  difficulty  to  sell  or  trade  off  the  surplus  to 
advantage.  The  village  blacksmith  may  take  part  if  not  all  of  his 
pay  in  good  vegetables.  The  wagon  maker,  the  carpenter,  the 
storekeeper,  the  physician,  the  banker — all  of  them  need  vege- 
tables, and  often  are  glad  to  take  what  good  things  you  have  to 
offer  in  exchange  for  money,  goods,  or  services.  If  the  working 
forces  on  the  farm  are  insufficient,  it  will  often  be  advisable  to 
reduce  the  area  of  wheat  or  oats,  and  grow  an  acre  of  garden 
stuff  instead;  for  the  same  work  devoted  to  the  garden  will  pay 
you  500  per  cent,  profit  above  that  realized  from  grain  culture. 


CHAPTER  II. 

MARKET  GARDENING  AND  TRUCK  FARMING. 

GARDENING    FOR    PROFIT   ONLY. 
"  To  produce  is  one  thing,  to  sell  another." 

)ONEY — and  money  alone — is  the  object  of  the 
market  gardener ;  and  the  considerations  of 
pleasure,  health  and  morality  are  necessarily 
subordinate  to  that  of  profit.  Business,  not 
pleasure — that  is  gardening  for  the  man  who 
tries  to  support  himself  and  family  by  growing 
vegetables  for  market.  To  be  successful  it 
often  requires  a  rare  combination  of  skill  and 
experience,  with  a  thorough  understanding  of  the  wants  of  his 
available  market,  and  considerable  tact,  if  not  shrewdness,  in  the 
sale  of  articles  produced.  It  is  no  business  for  the  careless,  the 
lazy,  or  the  stupid. 

Neither  is  it  a  royal  road  to  fortune,  and  I  feel  it  my  duty  to 
dispel  the  cherished  delusions  of  people  who  wish  to  engage  in 
market  gardening  as  an  easy  and  sure  way  of  making  a  comfort- 
able living.  Before  me  is  a  letter  received  some  time  ago  from 
a  "  preacher  of  the  gospel,"  35  years  of  age,who  having  been 
compelled  to  resign  his  position  on  account  of  throat  affliction, 
has  hit  upon  the  idea  of  growing  garden  stuff  for  market. 

"  Is  it  possible,"  he  asks,  "  to  make  a  living  on  three  acres 
of  ground,  115  miles  from  Philadelphia?  Soil  good, and  in  town, 
near  railroad  station.  I  am  happiest  when  I  am  hard  at  work, 
and  oh !  I  love  to  work  in  the  soil !  This  alone  gives  me  renewed 
vigor,  and  a  degree  of  health.  Yet  I  am  not  willing  to  become 
a  market  boy,  and  I  cannot  peddle  out  what  I  raise  off  the  soil." 
Here,  evidently,  we  have  met  with  a  wrong  conception  of 
market  gardening ;  but  it  is  a  somewhat  common  one.  I  know 
of  localities  where  three  acres  of  good  ground  well-managed 
would  afford  quite  a  respectable  living  to  a  small  family,  with  a 
market  right  at  the  door,  and  grocers  in  the  near  town  willing  to 
take  almost  any  good  garden  produce  brought  them  at  fair 
prices.  Advantage  might  often  be  taken  of  a  local  demand  for 
certain  productions,  as  berries,  onions,  celery,  etc.,  and  such 
articles  grown  on  a  larger  scale,  for  sale  to  retailers,  thus  avoiding 
the  "  peddling  "  feature.  But  kid-glove  and  silk-hat  gardening 
(16) 


Market  Gardening  and  Truck  Farming — 17 

will  under  no  consideration  fit  into  successful  market  gardening 
or  truck  farming;  "  barter  and  trade  "  is  one  of  the  essentials  of 
the  business  anywhere,  and  the  grower  must  be  in  readiness,  if 
an  emergency  arises,  to  take  hold  and  become  merchant  or 
peddler.  This  feature  is  an  indispensable  part  of  the  business  in 
most  cases. 

Gardening  for  money  requires  unceasing  attention,  close 
and  thorough  management,  considerable  hard  labor,  and  often 
more  or  less  exposure  to  the  vicissitudes  and  inclemencies  of  the 
seasons.  Nevertheless  it  is  true  that  the  majority  of  the  profes- 
sion make  altogether  too  much  work  of  it,  especially  by  neglect- 
ing to  make  use  of  the  newer  improved  implements  of  tillage. 
The  hand  hoe  is  yet  left  to  play  a  by  far  too  prominent  part  in 
garden,  culture,  and  the  advantages  of  the  wheel-hoe  are  not  yet 
recognized  and  made  use  of  as  they  deserve. 

There  was  a  time  when  even  the  rudest  methods  combined 
with  hard  work  insured  to  the  market  gardener  near  large  cities  a 
good  income.  But  competition  has  grown  with  the  demand,  and 
with  cheapened  and  increased  production  prices  have  gradually 
declined  until  now  they  are  far  below  what  only  a  few  years  ago 
growers  would  have  considered  mere  cost  of  production.  It  is 
not  so  many  years  since  the  main  crop  of  strawberries  sold  at  25 
cents  per  quart;  and  when  the  price  first  dropped  down  to  20 
cents,  the  cry  went  forth  that  "Strawberry  growing  does  not 
pay."  Then  thousands  of  growers  abandoned  the  business  in 
disgust.  At  present,  strawberries  are  grown  at  6  and  8  cents  per 
quart  in  many  localities,  and  people  are  satisfied  with  the  profits. 
So  with  vegetables.  We  have  learned  to  produce  much  cheaper 
than  formerly,  and  we  can  afford  to  produce  and  sell  at  figures 
which  did  not  cover  first  cost  ten  or  twenty  years  ago,  and  yet 
realize  a  fair  profit.  Hence  people  who  continue  to  grow  garden 
crops  in  the  old  laborious  and  unsatisfactory  ways,  and  with  old- 
style  implements,  who  produce  inferior  vegetables  and  fruits  at 
old-time  cost,  cannot  successfully  meet  the  competition  of  their 
progressive  brethren.  This  is  simply  a  question  of  the  "survival 
of  the  fittest;  "  and  the  fittest  is  the  man  who  by  taking  advan- 
tage of  the  latest  labor-saving  methods  and  devices  manages  to 
raise  the  best  produce  at  the  smallest  cost,  thus  preserving  or 
even  widening  the  narrow  margin  of  profit  which  at  the  present 
time  characterizes  all  legitimate  branches  of  business.  The  spade 
must  give  way  to  the  plow ;  the  rake,  and  often  cultivator  also,  to 
the  harrow ;  hand  and  fingers  in  sowing  seeds  to  the  drill ;  the 
hand  hoe  to  the  wheel-hoe,  etc.  These  changes  are  imperative 
and  unavoidable,  if  the  business  is  to  be  made  profitable.  The 
grower  who  has  learned  to  produce  most  cheaply  and  can  offer 
the  earliest  or  best  articles  in  his  line,  is  the  one  who  succeeds ; 
and  efforts  to  excel  must  be  made  continuously  to  prevent 


i8 — How  to  Make  the  Garden  Pay. 

getting  left  in  this  race.  This  requires  the  exercise  of  thought, 
study — in  short  of  brains  as  well  as  of  muscle.  Excellence  will 
have  its  reward  ;  but  he  who  neglects  a  single  point,  who  allows 
himself  to  be  excelled  by  others,  is  not  likely  to  receive  a  prize. 
Special  vegetable  crops  are  often  grown  on  a  large  scale  in 
localities  especially  adapted  to  their  cultivation,  or  having  special 
market  facilities  for  such  crops.  So  we  have  the  celery  fields  of 
Kalamazoo,  Mich.,  the  onion  patches  of  Wethersfield,  Conn.,  and 
Danvers,  Mass.,  and  other  places,  the  cauliflower  gardens  of  Long 
Island,  the  tomato  fields  of  New  Jersey,  the  melon  patches  of 
Virginia,  etc.  To  produce  is  often  much  easier  than  to  sell  the 
product  at  a  profit,  and  it  is  not  safe  to  engage  in  a  business  of 
this  kind  on  an  extensive  scale,  or  invest  much  money  in  it, 
unless  a  local  demand  is  assured  for  the  produced  articles. 
Wagon  and  carloads  of  good  vegetables  are  yearly  thrown  away 
for  want  of  chance  to  sell  them  in  time  at  an  acceptable  price. 
Where  the  enterprise  is  carried  on  in  colonies,  however,  there  is 
always  a  local  market ;  for  the  centre  of  production  is  also  the 
centre  of  demand. 


CHAPTER  III. 

FARMERS'   KITCHEN  GARDEN. 

SELECTION  OF  LOCALITY  AND  ARRANGEMENT  OF  BEDS. 
"Well  begun— half  done." 

HE  home  garden  in  a  majority  of  cases  is  a  fixed 
affair,  and  no  choice  is  left  as  to  the  selection 
of  site.  While  the  condition  of  soil,  its  fertility, 
convenient  lay  and  proper  slope,  are  questions  of 
no  mean  import,  they  are  almost  always  second- 
ary to  the  point  of  nearness  to  the  house.  The 
garden  may  be  filled  with  good  things  of  the 
season,  but  if  half  a  mile  from  the  house,  com- 
pelling the  over-worked  and  hurried  house-wife  to  tramp  such  a 
distance  every  time  she  wants  a  supply  of  vegetables  fresh  from 
the  garden,  the  cheering  presence  of  young  onions,  radishes, 
lettuce,  tomatoes,  egg  plants,  and  other  vegetables  will  be  missed 
by  the  family  at  many  a  meal  that  might  have  been  more  palatable 
and  more  wholesome  by  the  vegetable  addition  and  by  the 
change  otherwise.  What  good  are  the  choicest  things  in  our 
possession  if  we  cannot  make  ready  use  of  them  ? 

The  condition  of  many  a  home  garden  seems  sufHcienti 
excuse  for  hiding  it  from  sight.  The  best  location  for  the  garden 
is  in  a  prominent  place  where  it  will  crowd  itself  upon  constant 
observation  from  the  house.  If  well  kept,  it  is  one  of  the  greatest 
ornaments  to  the  premises',  and  a  source  of  everlasting  admira- 
tion ;  if  neglected  and  left  to  grow  up  in  weeds,  it  will  be  a  shame 
to  the  owner,  an  ever  present  accuser — a  sort  of  conscience — 
and  loudly  calling  for  attention.  A  good  garden  is  a  sort  of 
summer  resort,  to  which  the  owner  can  take  his  visitors,  and 
show  them  about  with  excusable  pride ;  an  inducement  for  an 
after-dinner  or  after-supper  walk,  affording  opportunities  for  a  few 
touches  of  improvement,  for  pulling  up  some  stray  weeds,  or  for 
the  destruction  of  injurious  insects,  when  thus  encountered, 
for  watching  with  pleasurable  interest  the  growth  and  develop- 
ment of  the  things  that  are  "  new  and  curious."  Nearness  to 
the  house  means  nearness  to  your  thoughts  and  affections  ;  better 
care  and  closer  attention  ;  more  enjoyable  and  diversified  meals ; 
increased  pleasure,  health  and  happiness  for  the  whole  family. 
Nearness  to  the  house  also  increases  the  chances  for  convenient 

(19) 


20— How  to  Make  the  Garden  Pay. 

WEST 


EAST 
SCALE  IN    FEET- 


•0       70       80       90     100       HO*      I2«     I3C 


Farmer's  Kitchen  Garden — 21 

and  prompt  utilization  of  house  slops,  washing  suds,  etc.,  in  the 
garden,  where  they  will  add  to  the  productiveness  of  the  soil, 
and  may  aid  in  doing  away  with  the  stagnant  pools,  rank  sink 
drains  and  offensive  odors  found  near  the  kitchen  door  of  many 
people,  and  endangering  their  health  and  lives. 

Concerning  composition,  state  of  fertility  and  slope  of  the 
ground,  there  is  in  many  cases  little  latitude  for  choice.  People 
have  often  to  take  such  as  they  find,  and  try  to  make  the  best  of 
it.  A  rich,  warm  sandy  loam,  naturally  drained,  should  always 
be  given  the  preference,  and  if  slightly  sloping  to  the  south, 
south-east  or  east,  all  the  better.  If  deficient  in  drainage, 
thorough  drainage  must  be  provided ;  if  too  heavy  and  cold, 
applications  of  sand,  coal  ashes,  sandy  loam  and  plenty  of  stable 
manure  will  make  it  lighter  and  warmer ;  if  too  sandy,  the  addi- 
tion of  clay  will  improve  it.  Peat  and  other  vegetable  matter  in 
a  state  of  decay  will  often  correct  either  extreme,  and  good 
compost  will  ameliorate  any  soil,  both  in  point  of  fertility  and 
mechanical  texture.  It  tends  to  make  clay  soil  porous  and 
sandy  soil  retentive. 

The  old-style  gardens,  as  a  rule,  are  not  up  to  our  modern 
ideas  as  to  size.  Having  in  a  measure  discarded  the  use  of 
spade,  and  particularly  that  of  rake  and  hand  hoe,  and  substituted 
horse-power  and  machinery  for  hand  labor  and  hand  implements, 
we  need  room  to  work  in  with  convenience  and  pleasure.  The 
farmer  has  no  excuse  to  stick  to  his  little  corner  lot.  Throw 
down  the  old  fences,  and  enclose  an  acre  or  even  two,  in  a  field 
long  and  narrow  if  possible  ;  then  arrange  it  somewhat  as  shown 
on  opposite  page.  The  whole  field  should  be  free  from  trees, 
stumps,  boulders  and  other  obstructions,  and  enclosed  by  a  tight 
hedge  or  substantial  fence.  Neither  pigs,  hens  nor  dogs  are 
wanted  in  a  garden. 

Commencing  on  one  of  the  long  sides  we  might  have  a  row 
of  grapes,  selecting  varieties  that  are  known  to  do  well  in  that 
locality,  and  training  them  to  a  suitable  trellis  or  over  an  arbor  ; 
next  a  row  of  gooseberries  and  currants ;  then  a  row  or  more 
each  of  red  and  black  raspberries  and  blackberries,  and  one  of 
asparagus,  with  a  dozen  or  more  rhubarb  plants  at  one  end,  and 
next  a  few  rows  of  strawberries.  Now  we  come  to  the  real 
(vegetable)  garden,  and  this  may  be  arranged  as  indicated  in 
diagram,  or  in  any  other  order  according  to  the  fancy  or  conven- 
ience of  the  gardener.  The  arrangement  of  the  vegetable  garden 
proper  in  this  fashion  gives  abundance  of  opportunity  for  rotation, 
and  the  various  vegetables  may  be  shifted  about  as  circumstances 
demand,  and  the  location  of  each  changed  from  year  to  year. 
The  adoption  of  this  plan  gives  us  long  rows  which  are  easily 
and  cheaply  kept  under  perfect  tillage  by  horse  and  cultivator, 
adjusting  width  of  the  latter  to  suit  width  of  row.  The  .narrow 


22 — How  to  Make  the  Garden  Pay. 
HIGHWAY 


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SCALE.    IN    FEET 


Farmer's  Kitchen  Garden — 23 

rows  at  north  side  alone  are  to  be  cultivated  by  hand,  using  one 
of  the  modern  wheel-hoes,  a  work  also  greatly  facilitated  by  the 
length  and  small  number  of  rows,  as  it  is  the  turning  that 
requires  valuable  time  and  effort. 

For  a  number  of  years  I  have  practised  a  plan  differing  from 
the  preceding,  and  I  find  it  superior  in  many  respects.  The  fruit 
patch  is  entirely  separate  from  the  vegetable  garden,  and  will 
need  no  description  here.  The  diagram  on  opposite  page  shows 
the  arrangement  and  general  plan  of  garden. 

One  of  its  chief  advantages  is  the  easy  access  it  affords  to 
all  the  different  kinds  of  vegetables,  especially  to  the  close- 
planted,  and  most  frequently  visited  ones,  lettuce,  onions, 
radishes,  carrots,  beets,  etc.,  and  its  only  disadvantage  the  neces- 
sity of  turning  with  horse  and  cultivator  in  the  field  and  not  at 
the  fence  near  the  highway.  This  is  not  a  serious  matter,  how- 
ever, as  a  strip  eight  feet  wide  is  left  next  the  path  at  the  foot  of 
the  narrow  rows,  and  including  it,  without  planting  except  with 
a  single  row  of  squashes  or  other  running  vines  at  the  end  of  the 
long  rows.  This  arrangement  gives  every  opportunity  for  turn- 
ing without  damage  to  growing  crops,  and  the  empty  space  will 
be  occupied  by  running  vines  by  the  time  that  cultivation  by 
horse  power  has  to  cease.  Nor  is  there  any  want  of  chance  for 
rotation,  and  the  order  of  both  the  small  stuff  and  the  crops  in 
the  larger  section  can  be  changed  to  suit  the  requirements  of 
the  case  from  year  to  year. 

When,  as  it  often  happens  with  me,  beans,  or  early  cabbages, 
peppers,  egg-plants,  etc.,  are  planted  in  the  upper  part,  in  rows 
two  and  a-half  feet  apart,  with  radishes  between  each  two  rows, 
the  cultivator  can  here  be  run  right  through  the  whole  length  of 
the  garden  after  the  radishes  have  all  been  gathered.  At  the  end 
of  rows,  facing  the  path,  short  numbered  stakes  may  be  driven 
in  the  ground;  and  if  these  are  not  over  eight  inches  high,  the 
double  wheel-hoe  can  be  run  right  over  them  without  being  inter- 
fered with  in  doing  its  work  properly.  When  sowing  seed  or 
setting  plants,  the  varieties  and  numbers  are  carefully  noted 
down,  especially  in  testing  new  sorts.  The  opportunity  which 
this  affords  to  compare  the  behavior  of  varieties,  and  to  speak  of 
them  intelligently,  greatly  enhances  the  pleasure  of  making  and 
taking  care  of  a  garden. 

Where  there  is  no  lack  of  land,  it  may  be  well  to  make  the 
garden  of  double  size,  so  that  each  one-half  (divided  lengthwise) 
may  be  renewed  and  rendered  clean  from  time  to  time  by  seeding 
to  clover  and  mowing  once  or  twice  before  it  is  cropped  again 
with  vegetables.  Or  one-half  may  be  planted  to  potatoes,  corn, 
or  tomatoes,  or  other  field  crops,  and  the  two  halves  used  alter- 
nately for  garden  purposes.  The  great  advantage  of  a  thorough 
system  of  rotation  can  hardly  be  pointed  out  too  often. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

REQUIREMENTS  OF  SUCCESS  IN  MARKET 
GARDENING. 

SELECTION   OF   SOIL   AND   LOCATION. 
"  Look  before  you  leap." 

HILE  the  home  gardener  must  take  the  cir- 
cumstances as  he  finds  them,  and  try  to  make 
the  most  of  opportunities  ready-made  for 
him,  the  prospective  gardener  "  for  profit 
only  "  cannot  safely  do  so.  He  must  select 
the  most  favorable  conditions,  or  run  the  risk 
of  seeing  his  proud  business  structure  tumble 
down,  and  his  high  anticipations  wrecked  at 
the  very  start.  It  will  not  do  for  him  to  select  a  location  most 
favorable  to  the  production  of  perfect  vegetables,  if  such  loca- 
tion has  no  market  for  them.  Of  the  two  considerations,  that  of 
market  opportunity  stands  first.  Before  locating  anywhere  with 
the  intent  of  growing  garden  vegetables  for  money,  the  near 
markets  need  the  closest  study.  The  difficulty  often  encountered 
of  putting  stuff  already  produced  on  a  paying  market,  and  to 
turn  it  into  cash,  is  the  chief  cause  of  failure  with  many  other- 
wise good  gardeners.  Vast  quantities  of  choice  vegetables  are 
left  to  spoil  every  season  simply  for  want  of  a  local  demand  for 
them.  The  great  cities,  as  a  rule,  are  well  supplied  with  the  pro- 
ducts of  the  garden  by  growers  near  by,  and  the  competition 
there  is  large,  often  ruinous,  at  least  to  the  extravagant  hopes  of 
the  shipper ;  hence  the  dependence  on  distant  city  markets  to  be 
reached  through  the  instrumentality  of  express  companies  and 
railroads  as  carriers,  is  not  often  justified  except  in  case  of  the 
early  southern  products,  and  of  such  vegetables  as  tomatoes, 
onions,  sweet  potatoes,  melons  and  others  that  are  grown  in  the 
farm  garden  (truck  farm)  on  an  extensive  scale. 

The  growers  of  vegetables  for  market  may  be  divided  into 
three  classes,  as  follows,  viz. : 

First. — The  southern  truck  farmer  who  grows  early  stuff  for 
northern  markets.  His  location  must  be  selected  with  especial 
regard  to  his  railroad  connections  with  the  principal  city  markets, 
nearness  to  station,  and  the  conditions  favorable  to  earliness  and 

(24) 


Requirements  of  Success  in  Market  Gardening. — 25 

perfect  development  of  vegetables,  such  as  rich  and  warm  soil, 
southern  exposure,  etc. 

Second. — The  market  gardener  near  the  large  cities  who 
raises  garden  stuff  in  day-time,  and  draws  his  products  to  the 
city,  and  city  stable  manure  back  to  the  farm,  during  the  night, 
leading  a  life  of  unceasing  toil,  in  perpetual  fight  with  competi- 
tion, but  receiving  good  pay  for  skillful  management. 

Third. — The  local  gardener  whose  aim  it  is  to  fill  a  compara- 
tively small  demand  in  his  immediate  neighborhood.  Sometimes 
he  gives  his  goods  to  grocers  in  near  towns  to  sell  on  commis- 
sion ;  or  sells  to  them  to  retail  to  their  customers  ;  or  he  loads 
up  his  wagon  and  peddles  his  crops  directly  to  the  consumer. 
He  has  the  advantage  of  cheap  land,  cheap  help,  and  few  expenses 
generally,  and  if  he  is  a  good  salesman  as  well  as  a  good 
gardener,  he  may  do  well. 

Localities  near  summer  resorts  and  watering  places  afford 
special  chances.  Many  of  the  gardeners  near  such  places,  as  for 
instance  along  the  beach  in  New  Jersey,  in  the  vicinity  of  Long 
Branch,  have  what  might  be  called  a  "  soft  snap  "  so  far  as  mar- 
keting is  concerned.  The  demand  for  choice  vegetables  here  is 
reasonably  large  at  any  time,  but  reaches  enormous  proportions 
when  city  people  have  taken  up  their  abode  amongst  them,  and 
prices  often  rise  to  excessive  figures  just  at  a  time  when  the 
season  is  naturally  most  favorable  to  the  production  of  these 
articles.  The  established  gardens  in  these  sections  have  their 
regular  customers,  and  little  trouble  in  disposing  of  good  pro- 
duce. The  truckers  or  peddlers  who  run  their  vegetable  wagons 
during  the  bathing  season,  supplying  their  regular  customers 
(the  cottagers,  boarding  houses  and  hotels),  make  their  daily  calls 
at  the  gardens,  and  load  their  wagons,  paying  high  prices  for 
produce  for  which  in  turn  they  charge  excessive,  often  outrageous 
rates  to  the  wealthy,  city-bred  consumer.  Here  money  is  plenty, 
easily  earned,  and  easily  spent.  Some  of  these  people  run 
gardens  and  truck  wagons  in  combination ;  they  supply  the  con- 
sumer directly,  charging  for  their  own  produce  the  high  retail 
price  of  the  truckers  ;  and  their  profit  for  two  months  often  keeps 
them  in  easy  circumstances  for  the  whole  year.  Others  sell  both 
to  the  regular  truckers  and  to  the  grocers  in  the  near  towns  ;  but 
there  is  seldom  much  difficulty  encountered  by  the  good  sales- 
man to  sell  what  once  is  produced.  Here,  as  might  be  expected, 
land  is  high,  often  $500  to  $1,000  per  acre  ;  but  considering  the 
market  advantages  it  is  much  cheaper  at  that  figure  than  the 
$10  an  acre  clay  lands  of  Virginia  colonies,  or  the  $30  an  acre 
white  sand  plains  of  Central  or  South  Jersey. 

As  nearness  to  the  house  or  kitchen  (in  this  case  the  centre 
of  demand)  is  one  of  the  first  considerations  in  the  location  of  the 
home  garden,  so  is  nearness  to  a  market  with  good  steady 


26 — How  to  Make  the  Garden  Pay. 

demand  the  chief  point  of  importance  for  every  market  gardener. 
It  makes  considerable  difference  whether  produce  has  to  be  hauled 
to  market,  and  manure  back  to  the  farm,  one  mile  or  ten.  Often 
a  sudden  scarcity  of  a  certain  article  in  the  market,  caused  by 
delayed  shipments,  or  by  other  chances,  can  at  once  be  taken 
advantage  of  by  the  near  grower  who  is  enabled  to  rush  the 
demanded  article  to  market  at  short  notice,  and  to  benefit  by  the 
higher  prices,  while  the  gardener  living  at  a  greater  distance 
cannot  do  as  well.  This  advantage  alone  will  outweigh  even  a 
considerable  difference  in  price  or  rent  of  land. 

The  next  consideration,  and  one  of  scarcely  less  importance, 
is  the  suitability  of  the  land.  The  soil  should  be  a  warm,  sandy 
loam,  level  or  slightly  sloping  to  the  south  or  south-east,  free 
from  obstruction,  trees,  etc.,  and  in  a  good  state  of  cultivation. 


Vegetable  House,  Windmill  and  Hotbeds. 

Want  of  fertility  can  be  remedied  in  time,  and  is  not  as  grave  a 
defect  as  faulty  composition  of  soil  would  be.  Nor  should  the 
soil  be  excessively  weedy,  although  this  defect  can  also  be 
remedied  by  perseverance  and  painstaking,  and  at  some  expense. 
Natural  drainage  is  desirable,  but  if  not  perfect,  should  be  made 
so  by  thorough  underdraining.  A  piece  of  drained  muck-land 
is  generally  a  valuable  addition  to  the  upland  property. 

Plenty  of  water  is  one  of  the  chief  needs  of  the  market 
gardener,  and  the  careful  calculator  will  have  an  eye  on  the  chance 
of  supply  when  selecting  his  location.  A  running  stream,  an 
artesian  well,  or  a  pond  in  close  proximity  to  the  beds  and 
buildings,  so  situated  that  it  can  be  readily  utilized  for  the  various 
purposes  of  watering,  irrigating,  washing  vegetables,  etc.,  is 
likely  to  be  worth  hundreds  of  dollars  to  the  owner.  If  such  a 


Requirements  of  Success  in  Market  Gardening. — 27 

convenience  is  not  in  existence,  the  next  best  thing  is  a  good 
large  cistern  near  the  vegetable  house.  This  latter  may  be  a 
cheaply  constructed  affair,  of  any  desired  or  needed  size,  with 
frost-proof  cellar  for  storing  vegetables,  a  washing  department 
above,  with  tank  ;  also  a  storage  room  for  tools,  seeds  and  other 
equipments.  A  good  well  is  a  necessary  convenience,  and  will 
supply  water  when  the  cistern  fails. 

The  degree  of  success  in  gardening  depends  largely  on  the 
abundance  and  steadiness  of  the  water  supply ;  for  the  liquid 
element  is  needed  in  vast  quantities,  and  must  be  furnished  at 
just  the  time  when  the  crops  require  it.  Hand  sprinklers  and 
force  pumps  are  yet  the  common  means  of  distributing  water 
over  the  often  large  area  of  the  beds  in  many  market  gardens, 
but  through  the  employment  of  a  modern  windmill,  tanks  and 
rubber  hose  in  their  capacities  as  forcing  power,  storage  room, 
and  carrier,  respectively,  this  originally  tedious  job  can  be  made 
comparatively  pleasant  and  inexpensive. 

This  chapter,  in  my  estimation,  would  not  be  complete  with- 
out an  earnest  word  of  warning  to  the  new  beginner.  I  only 
follow  the  plain  path  of  duty  when  I  point  out  the  dangers  of 
engaging  in  this  (as  in  any  other)  business  on  a  larger  scale  than 
experience  and  available  capital  will  warrant.  Profits  are  easiry 
figured  out  on  paper,  and  often  allure  the  novice  into  a  feeling  of 
unjustified  confidence  and  security.  Debts  are  contracted,  to  be 
paid  with  the  prospective  profits ;  but  such  profits  do  not  often 
materialize.  It  is  safe  to  commence  on  five  acres  of  good  land 
paid  for,  and  with  implements  and  conveniences  also  paid  for.  It 
is  very  risky  to  start  in  on  twenty  acres,  mortgaged  for  half  their 
value,  and  to  work  with  tools  obtained  on  credit.  The  former  plan 
admits  of  a  gradual  increase  of  the  business  on  a  safe  foundation, 
and  as  increasing  experience  and  means  warrant.  The  latter 
plan  leads  the  gardener  into  the  meshes  of  the  usurer — the  foolish 
fly  into  the  spider's  web — and  to  ultimate  ruin.  Step  by  step 
you  will  rise  from  the  foot  of  the  ladder  to  the  height  of  lasting 
prosperity  ;  but  the  pretender  who  surreptitiously  usurps  a  high 
position  will  come  to  a  sudden,  and  oerhaos  deserved  fall. 


CHAPTER  V. 

HINTS    IN    MARKETING. 

SECRETS   OF   SUCCESS   EXPOSED. 
"  Doing  the  right  thing  at  the  right  time." 

HE  all-important  secret  might  be  told  in  a  few 
words  :  "  Cater  to  the  demands  of  the  market." 
Produce  just  such  articles  as  the  market  calls  for, 
and  offer  them  for  sale  at  just  such  times  as 
people  want  to  buy.  The  more  favorable  the 
combination  of  circumstances  of  your  own 
selection — market,  locality,  soil,  and  methods — 
the  brighter  are  the  chances  of  success.  Start 
in  modestly  to  fill  a  want  already  existing.  Try  to  have  your 
vegetables  in  the  market  a  few  days,  or  even  a  few  hours 
sooner  than  your  competitor.  Take  to  market  only  the 
choicest,  and  keep  the  poorer  stuff  out  of  your  customer's  sight, 
thus  making  a  reputation  for  yourself  and  your  wares,  and  your 
success  will  be  at  once  assured  and  permanent.  Study  the  pecu- 
liarities of  your  market,  and  try  to  hit  the  periodically  appearing 
demands  for  certain  articles.  The  best  at  the  right  time  brings 
the  profits. 

It  is  hardly  ever  advisable  to  attempt  educating  people's 
tastes.  Give  your  customers  exactly  what  they  want ;  and  only 
after  having  gained  a  firm  footing  among  them,  or  gained  a 
reputation  for  yourself,  would  it  be  wise  to  begin,  cautiously,  the 
work  of  creating  a  demand  for  better  things  by  exposing  them 
in  tempting  display  to  people's  attention.  There  is  a  rule  of 
fashion  in  markets  as  well  as  in  attire.  When  a  certain  kind  of 
vegetable  or  fruit  is  popular  in  a  certain  market,  it  will  sell 
quicker  and  at  higher  prices  than  even  a  better  kind  with  which 
people  are  not  acquainted.  The  process  of  educating  people's 
taste  is  always  an  exceedingly  slow  one;  and  the  gardener 
should  not  make  the  mistake  of  growing  any  thing  new  and 
superior,  but  as  yet  unknown  to  customers,  in  the  vain  hope  of 
gaining  an  advantage  over  his  competitors,  unless  the  superiority 
lies  in  outside  attractiveness — large  size,  fine  color,  perfect  shape, 
etc. — and  thus  appeals  to  the  sight.  High  quality  alone,  without 
"  catchy  "  appearance,  is  at  a  discount  in  the  open  markets. 

Uniformity  is  one  of  the  chief  essentials  in  making  produce 
attractive  and  salable.     Particular  pains  should  be  taken  to  have 
(28) 


Hints  in  Marketing. — 29 

all  the  vegetables  in  one  bunch  or  package — the  radishes,  beets, 
turnips,  celery,  or  whatever  they  may  be — as  near  like  each 
other  as  careful  selection  can  make  them.  Have  everything 
clean  and  attractive.  If  the  articles  to  be  marketed  are  of  uneven 
size,  grade  them  with  greatest  care,  and  put  the  larger  ones  in 


Radishes,  Properly  Graded. 


Radishes,  Not  Graded. 


one  package,  and  the  smaller  ones  in  another.     Careful  sorting 
and  packing  is  just  as  necessary  as  skillful  growing. 

Regularity  of  supply  is  still   another  point   of  importance. 
No  matter  how  good  and  how  abundant  your  produce  may  be, 


Strawberries,  Mixed  and  Graded. 

it  will  not  be  appreciated  by  your  customers  unless  you  furnish 
them  regularly  just  what  they  want,  and  when  they  want  it.  This 
inspires  confidence  and  reliance  upon  you,  and  insures  permanent 
patronage  even  at  higher  prices  than  customers  would  be  willing 
to  give  to  the  man  who  offers  his  wares  spasmodically,  at  irregular 
intervals,  or  at  rare  occasions. 

It  is  well  worth  taking  to  heart  what  one  of  South  Jersey's 
most  successful  market  gardeners  says  on  this  subject: 

"  If  you  are  catering  to  the  appetites  of  the  town's  people, 
and  desire  to  extend  your  list  of  vegetables,  plant  but  sparingly 


3O — How  to  Make  the  Garden  Pay. 

of  such  varieties  as  have  not  yet  come  into  general  use,  until  the 
demand  for  them  is  created. 

"  Even  to-day  there  are  hundreds  of  families  in  every  large 
town,  and  thousands  of  farmers  upon  whose  table  spinach,  kale, 
cauliflower,  salsify,  and  a  long  list  of  other  vegetables,  both  tooth- 
some and  healthful,  has  never  appeared.  To  encourage  this 
trade  takes  time,  patience,  and  no  little  outlay  in  labor  and  cash. 

"  It  has  been,  and  always  will  be,  that  each  market  has  its 
favorites  who  can  sell  more  at  the  same  price  than  other  growers. 
If  to  dispose  of  your  load  to-day,  you  sacrifice  the  price  you 
would  be  sure  of  to-morrow;  if  to-morrow  you  find  yourself 
compelled  to  make  further  concessions  in  order  to  sell  your 
products,  you  may  be  sure  the  necessity  for  making  concessions 
will  continue  from  day  to  day,  until  the  prices  of  all  goods  in 
your  line  are  depressed  below  the  line  of  profit  to  yourself  and 
all  other  gardeners ;  and  you  will  have  lost  the  esteem  and  good- 
will of  your  competitors  without  being  better  thought  of  by 
dealers  and  customers. 

"  Retailers  like  to  deal  with  producers  whose  word  is  as 
good  as  their  bond.  They  desire  to  be  sure  that  in  every  basket, 
box,  or  barrel  the  uniform  goodness  of  the  contents  reaches  clear 
to  the  bottom.  They  like  men  who,  when  taking  orders  to-day 
for  to-morrow,  can  be  depended  upon  to  live  up  to  their  engage- 
ments ;  whose  vegetables  are  always  washed  clean,  tied  tightly, 
arranged  neatly,  and  whose  call  can  be  counted  upon  with  never- 
failing  certainty  every  week-day,  and  under  all  conditions  of 
weather." 


CHAPTER  VI. 

MANURES  FOR  THE  GARDEN. 

I.    STABLE     MANURE    AND     HOW     TO     MANAGE     IT. 
"  Of  nothing,  nothing  comes." 

HE  market  gardener  can  produce  in  a  single  season 
enormous,  almost  incredible  quantities  of  vege- 
tables on  an  acre  of  ground  when  systematically 
and  continuously  cropped.  The  quality  of  most 
of  this  produce  depends  on  its  succulence  and 
tenderness,  and  its  money  value  is  greatly  influ- 
enced by  its  size  and  earliness,  all  of  which 
features  are  the  result  of  rapid,  thrifty  growth, 
which  in  turn,  is  only  made  possible  by  the  presence  of  an 
abundance  of  available  plant  food  in  the  soil,  especially  of  the 
nitrogenous  element,  which  is  the  chief  promoter  of  succulent 
growth,  in  bulbous  root,  leaf,  and  stalk. 

The  prices  which  the  gardener  obtains  for  his  products, 
compared  with  those  realized  by  the  farmer  for  grain,  hay, 
potatoes,  etc.,  are  such  that  he  can  much  better  afford  to  use 
large  quantities  of  manure,  and  especially  pay  out  money  for 
them,  than  the  farmer  with  whom  it  is  only  too  often  the  query 
whether  he  can  profitably  use  any  kind  of  manure  which  he  has 
to  buy.  There  is  considerable  doubt  in  my  mind  that  wheat, 
oats,  corn,  and  products  of  this  sort  can  be  raised  at  present 
market  rates  with  profits  worth  speaking  of  when  manure, 
whether  yard  or  concentrated,  has  to  be  bought  at  the  figures 
usually  paid  by  the  market  gardener.  The  latter,  as  a  rule,  finds 
that  the  more  and  the  better  manure  he  uses,  whether  bought  or 
home-made,  from  stable  or  factory,  the  larger  will  be  his  profits. 
Manure,  good  manure,  and  plenty  of  it — that  is  the  corner  stone 
of  successful  market  gardening. 

This  assertion  is  not  likely  to  be  disputed.  But  there  are 
economical  or  methodical  ways  of  using  it,  and  there  are  wasteful 
ones.  It  is  not  always  easy  to  determine,  in  which  shape,  in 
what  quantities,  and  to  what  crops  manure  can  be  applied  so  it 
will  do  the  most  good.  The  importance  of  the  subject  demands 
our  earnest  consideration,  deep  thought  and  study;  but  we 
should  look  at  the  question  entirely  dispassionate,  without 

(30 


32 — How  to  Make  the  Garden  Pay. 

preconceived  preferences  in  favor  of  one  manure,  or  prejudices 
against  the  other.  There  are  gardeners  who  claim  every  thing 
for  stable  manure,  and  find  no  good  in  "  fertilizers ; "  and  there 
are  others  who  put  their  whole  reliance  in  the  latter.  As  in 
most  other  cases  we  will  find  the  "  golden  mean  "  by  far  the 
safest  course  to  pursue. 

Stable  manure  is  yet  the  favorite  article  with  the  masses  of 
gardeners.  If  reasonably  free  from  weed-seeds  and  properly 
handled,  it  is  a  perfectly  safe  and  reliable  fertilizer,  and  when  made 
from  grain-fed  animals,  as  most  likely  the  case  in  city  stables, 
well  worth  $2  to  $2.50  per  ton,  if  it  can  be  drawn  without  incurring 
additional  expense,  or  at  a  time  when  no  other  work  is  pressing. 
One  ton  of  ordinary  mixed  fresh  farm  or  stable  manure  contains 
about  8  Ibs.  of  nitrogen,  10  Ibs.  of  potash  and  4  Ibs.  of  phosphoric 
acid.  At  current  retail  rates  for  these  plant-foods,  their 
chemical  value  would  be  about  as  follows,  viz.  : 

8  Ibs.  nitrogen  at  1 8   cents,  $i  44 

10    "    potash  at  5  cents,  50 

4    "    phosphoric  acid  at  8  cents,  32 

Total,  $2  26 

When  thoroughly  rotted  this  manure  contains  a  still  larger 
percentage  of  the  plant  foods,  hence  is  not  only  more  valuable 
for  that  reason  but  also  on  account  of  its  readiness  for  applica- 
tion, and  immediate  availability.  When  we  further  consider  the 
mechanical  effect  of  this  manure,  the  opening  and  loosening  of 
the  soil,  allowing  air  and  warmth  to  enter  it  more  freely — we 
will  not  be  apt  to  underrate  its  value. 

A  different  thing  it  would  be,  if  in  addition  to  first  cost,  we 
were  obliged  to  incur  much  extra  expense  in  hauling  it  a  consid- 
erable distance  ;  if  we  were  to  employ  teams,  and  hire  men.  I 
think  I  would  use  stable  manure  in  moderate  quantities  if  the 
aggregate  cost  amounted  to  $2.50,  and  very  sparingly  at  a  higher 
figure.  The  manure  account  is  a  big  item  with  the  rank  and  file  of 
gardeners  near  the  cities  who  use  from  50  to  100  tons  of  stable 
manure  to  the  acre  annually.  As  we  shall  see  later  on,  the 
application  of  even  the  smaller  amount  is  excessive,  and  often  a 
sinful  and  preventable  waste. 

COMPOSTING  MANURE. — Raw  manure  is  not  in  condition  for 
the  market  gardener's  purposes,  except  in  rare  cases.  It  may  do 
for  sweet  corn,  and  comes  in  play  for  heating  hot-beds,  or  forcing 
melons ;  but  for  general  garden  crops  it  must  be  composted,  and 
made  as  fine  as  possible.  There  need  be  no  loss  of  fertilizing 
materials  or  elements  if  the  compost  heap  is  properly  made 
as  shown  in  illustration  next  page.  Pile  it  up  in  a  square  heap 
with  perpendicular  sides  and  flat  top,  four  or  five  feet  high,  and 


Manures  for  the  Garden. — 33 

as  wide  and  long  as  may  be  required.  Let  it  come  to  a  heat, 
and  fork  the  mass  over  from  time  to  .time  until  it  is  in  the 
desired  condition.  It  takes  time  and  labor,  adding  to  the  origi- 
nal cost,  and  in  deciding  on  the  price  he  can  afford  to  pay  for 
raw  manure  originally,  the  gardener  will  have  to  take  this  feature 
in  consideration. 

These  heaps  may  be  made  during  autumn  and  early  winter 
right  on  the  arable  land,  and  the  material  will  generally  be  ready 
to  be  spread  upon  the  soil  where  wanted,  when  the  time  for 
planting  it  with  spring  crops  has  arrived.  It  is  absolutely  neces- 
sary that  these  heaps  be  of  considerable  depth,  not  less  than  four 
feet,  in  order  to  prevent  the  rain-water  from  leaching  clear 
through,  and  washing  away  valuable  food  elements. 


Composting  Stable  Manure. 

Some  farmers  and  gardeners  utilize  pig  power  in  composting 
manure.  The  raw  material  is  piled  into  an  enclosed  yard  having 
a  solid  clay  bottom,  and  here  it  is  continuously  worked  over  by 
a  drove  of  pigs  in  their  search  for  shelled  corn  which  is  scattered 
over  the  manure  once  or  twice  a  day.  It  may  make  good  manure, 
but  I  think  very  lightly  of  this  method  of  raising  pork.  The 
compost  heap,  while  in  process  of  construction,  is  the  most  appro- 
priate dumping  place  for  vegetable  rubbish  of  all  sorts,  the  car- 
casses of  animals  (larger  ones  cut  in  pieces),  house  and  kitchen 
slops,  and  other  waste  materials.  Refuse  matter  of  this  kind 
often  adds  greatly  to  the  value  and  effectiveness  of  the  compost. 

For  general  garden  crops  this   manure,  when  in  the   right 
condition  (well  rotted),   is   applied   broadcast   and   thoroughly 
mixed  all  through  the  soil,  generally  by  plowing  under  in  lap 
furrow  style,  and  by  thorough  harrowing. 
3 


CHAPTER  VII. 

MANURES  FOR  THE  GARDEN. 

II.    COMMERCIAL  FERTILIZERS THEIR    VALUE  AND  USE. 

"  Prove  all  things;  hold  fast  that  which  is  good." 

|OMMERCIAL  fertilizers  are  coming  more  and 
more  in  general  use  with  market  gardeners,  and 
are  now  quite  extensively  substituted  for  stable 
manure — and  that  not  without  good  reason.  If 
we  examine  a  good  average  high-grade  com- 
mercial fertilizer,  analyzing  5  per  cent,  available 
nitrogen,  6  per  cent  phosphoric  acid,  and  8  per 
cent,  potash,  we  will  find  that  one  ton  of  it  con- 
tains, besides  less  valuable  ingredients  : 

icolbs.  nitrogen,  at  1 8  cents,  -     $1800 

1 20   "    phosphoric  acid,  at  8  cents,       -  9  60 

1 60   "    potash,  at  5  cents,     -  8  oo 

Total,    -  $35  60 

Such  a  fertilizer  probably  retails  at  $40  or  $42  per  ton,  and 
is  fully  worth  it.  All  this  large  amount  of  plant  food,  and  per- 
haps one-half  more,  can  be  drawn  in  a  single  load,  while  it  will 
take  ten  such  loads  of  stable  manure  to  supply  the  same  amount 
of  nitrogen  (and  that  in  a  far  less  available  condition),  sixteen 
such  loads  to  supply  the  same  amount  of  potash,  and  thirty  to 
supply  the  same  amount  of  phosphoric  acid.  In  an  average, 
therefore,  the  substitution  of  the  commercial  fertilizer  for  barn- 
yard manure  will  save  14-15  of  the  labor  and  expense  in  hauling 
and  in  application,  besides  all  the  additional  trouble  and  labor 
of  composting. 

In  a  further  comparison  of  the  two  manures  we  come  to  the 
following  results  :  A  moderately  liberal  application  of  compost 
requires  50  tons  to  the  acre.  This  means  the  application  of  400 
Ibs.  of  nitrogen,  500  Ibs.  of  potash,  and  200  Ibs.  of  phosphoric 
acid,  at  a  costof  $100  to  $125,  not  taking  in  consideration  the  large 
expense  of  handling  and  applying  it. 

Men  most  liberal  in  the  use  of  commercial  fertilizers  apply, 
and  recommend  to  use,  one  ton  per  acre,  at  a  cost  of  less  than 
(34) 


Manures  for  the  Garden. — 35 

$50,  expense  of  handling  and  application  included.  Many  after 
having  tried  a  one-half  ton  application  find  fault  if  the  results  do 
not  give  as  good  a  showing  as  a  $150  application  of  compost. 
This  is  not  common  sense. 

Soils  that  have  been  utilized  for  the  production  of  garden 
crops  for  many  years,  and  are  yet  filled  with  humus  from  previous 
applications  of  compost,  usually  contain  considerable  potash  and 
phosphoric  acid,  which  elements  of  plant  food,  in  these  heavy 
dressings  of  yard  manure,  are  always  applied  greatly  in  excess  of 
the  needs  of  crops,  and  permitted  to  accumulate  in  the  soil.  The 
nitrogen  alone,  however,  is  taken  up  by  the  plants,  or  leached 
out  of  the  soil  as  fast  as  rendered  available.  When  we  consider 
that  nitrogen  is  the  chief  generator  of  stalk  and  leaf,  and  promoter 
of  rapid  and  succulent  growth,  and  that  the  conversion  of  unvail- 
able  forms  of  nitrogen  into  available  nitrates  (the  so-called 
nitrification)  is  exceedingly  slow  in  the  early  (cooler)  part  of 
spring,  we  have  the  explanation  of  the  effectiveness  of  a  manure 
application  holding  400  Ibs.  of  the  most  important  substance  of 
plant  nutriment,  and  of  the  often  comparatively  meagre  results 
obtained  from  a  dressing  of  fertilizer  having  only  one-quarter  or 
less  of  that  quantity  of  nitrogen.  Bone  meal,  although  rich  in 
phosphoric  acid,  which  is  not  superabundant  in  stable  manure, 
and  therefore  frequently  used  in  alternation  with  the  former,  gen- 
erally with  excellent  results,  has  the  same  scanty  supply  of 
nitrogen  as  the  high-grade  complete  fertilizers.  This  nitrogen  in 
commercial  fertilizers,  however,  is  generally  in  a  more  readily 
available  form  than  that  in  yard  manure ;  and,  all  points  taken  in 
consideration,  a  rotation  of  the  several  manures  should  be  adopted 
as  it  has  proved  far  preferable  to  the  exclusive  or  continued  use 
of  one  or  the  other  of  them  alone.  The  heavy  tax  that  the 
demands  of  the  crops  impose  upon  the  gardener  can  often  be 
materially  lightened  in  this  way. 

Some  of  our  best  gardeners  go  much  further.  They  use 
what  stable  manure  is  made  on  the  place,  and  put  all  the  money 
to  be  expended  for  manures  in  complete  commercial  fertilizers, 
and  nitrates  (spoken  of  in  next  chapter).  I  have  grown  excellent 
vegetables  of  all  kinds  on  poor  soil  by  this  system  of  feeding  the 
crops ;  but  I  miss  the  quickening  and  loosening  effect  upon  the 
soil  which  is  found  in  an  occasional  ration  of  compost.  Hence 
I  prefer  the  rotation  system  of  manuring,  and  if  for  some  reason 
it  should  become  necessary  or  unavoidable  to  use  commercial 
fertilizers  uninterruptedly,  I  would  at  least  grow  and  plow  under 
an  occasional  green  crop,  such  as  clover,  black  peas  or  southern 
cow  beans,  peas,  weeds,  etc.,  merely  for  the  purpose  of  adding 
decaying  vegetable  matter  to  the  soil,  and  thus  opening  it  to  the 
ingress  of  air  and  moisture.  Its  state  of  concentration  fits  the 
commercial  fertilizer  especially  for  application  to  growing  crops, 


36 — How  to  Make  the  Garden  Pay. 

or  to  second  and  succeeding  crops  planted  between  rows  of 
vegetables  still  standing. 

This  question  has  still  another  aspect.  Market  gardeners 
obtain  the  bulk  of  their  manure  supply  from  city  stables,  and  the 
demand  for  the  article  has  raised  its  price  to  a  figure  forcing  the 
shrewd  gardener  to  consider  whether  he  can  afford  to  use  the 
article  or  not.  FTere  we  have  a  case  where  supply  is  not  influenced 
by  demand.  Nearly  the  same  quantity  of  manure  would  be  pro- 
duced in  cities  whether  it  is  disposed  of  at  $2.00,  or  at  10  cents 
a  load,  or  whether  the  owner  were  compelled  to  pay  some  one 
$i.ooaload  to  take  it  off  the  premises.  The -competition  of 
buyers  makes  the  article  too  high-priced  for  their  own  welfare. 
Use  more  fertilizers,  and  less  manure  from  the  city  stables,  and 
let  the  decreased  demand  force  down  the  excessive  prices. 

Even  distribution  over  the  area  to  be  enriched  is  the  chief 
point  of  importance  in  the  application  of  all  concentrated 
manures.  This  can  be  attained  in  no  easier  and  more  perfect 
wa'y  than  by  the  use  of  a  good  fertilizer  drill,  such  as  for  instance 
is  attached  to  the  Empire  grain  drill.  The  box  holds  about  one 
bag  (200  Ibs.)  of  fertilizer.  Place  the  bags  at  convenient  dis- 
tances, scatteringly,  over  the  area  to  be  fertilized,  fill  the  recep- 
tacle of  the  drill,  and  commence  operations,  refilling  as  needed. 
In  heavy  applications  it  may  be  necessary  to  go  over  the  area 
repeatedly,  and  preferably  in  different  directions,  either  crosswise 
or  diagonally  across  the  preceding  application.  If  such  a  drill  is 
not  at  hand,  as  Very  likely  the  case  with  the  market  gardener,  the 
stuff  may  be  sown  after  plowing,  and  a  thorough  harrowing  be 
given  afterwards.  In  sowing  a  ton  to  an  acre,  which  is  a  pretty 
heavy  application,  the  operator  will  have  to  make  close  bouts, 
scatter  with  full  hand,  and  then  probably  be  compelled  to  repeat 
the  operation  crosswise  of  the  first  sowing,  in  order  to  put  on  the 
full  quantity. 

For  convenience  in  sowing  by  hand  it  is  always  advisable  to 
moisten  the  fertilizer  before  it  is  applied.  Empty  a  bagful  on  a 
tight  barn  floor,  or  in  a  tight  wagon  box,  spread  the  fertilizer  out 
in  an  even  layer,  then  sprinkle  water  over  it ;  next  put  on  another 
layer  of  fertilizer,  apply  water  as  before,  and  finally  shovel  the 
whole  mass  over  until  it  is  thoroughly  mixed,  and  uniformly 
damp.  It  can  then  be  sowed  without  filling  the  air  around  the 
party  whose  hands  scatter  it,  with  the  disagreeable  dust. 

There  is  no  reason  to  fear  ill  results  from  "  too  much  "  fer- 
tilizer, provided  it  is  evenly  distributed  or  thoroughly  mixed 
through  the  soil.  Stinginess  in  this  item  is  poor  economy. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

MANURES  FOR  THE  GARDEN. 

III.    NITRATES,  WOOD  ASHES,  AND  OTHER  SPECIFIC  FERTILIZERS. 
"  Cheapest  is  what  serves  its  purpose  best." 

'O  other  single  manurial  element  gives  to  the 
progressive  gardener  the  opportunities  and 
possibilities  that  he  finds  in  nitrates,  especially 
in  the  form  of  nitrate  of  soda  or  Chili  saltpeter, 
vast  natural  deposits  of  which  exist  in  various 
districts  of  South  America.  The  effect  of  this 
salt  on  many  garden  crops  is  often  truly 
wonderful,  and  can  generally  be  observed  within 
a  few  days  after  its  application  in  the  darker  foliage  and  remark- 
ably thrifty  growth.  It  is  readily  soluble,  and  its  nitrogen  in 
the  exact  form  best  suited  for  immediate  absorption  by  the  roots 
of  plants.  , 

The  body  of  gardeners  move  but  slowly,  and  adopt  new 
things  and  means  reluctantly.  So  while  the  merits  and  possibili- 
ties of  nitrate  of  soda  have  often  been  pointed  out  in  the  columns 
of  the  agricultural  press,  the  great  public,  fortunately  for  the 
progressive  few,  knows  nothing  about  it,  a  circumstance  which 
gives  it  into  the  hands  of  the  shrewd  manager  to  excel  his  slower 
competitor  with  ease,  and  to  beat  him  in  every  market.  The 
gardener  who  refuses  to  use  nitrate  of  soda  especially  for  his 
early  crops,  neglects  to  take  advantage  of  one  of  his  very  best 
opportunities. 

We  must  bear  in  mind  that  the  natural  process  of  converting 
unavailable  nitrogenous  matter  into  soluble  nitrates  is  very  slow 
in  early  spring ;  that,  in  order  to  furnish  as  much  as  early  crops 
require  at  this  time,  we  were  compelled  -to  apply  the  enormous 
quantities  of  stable  compost  with  its  excess  of  mineral  elements 
of  plant  food;  and  that  the  deficiency  cannot  be  supplied  by  the 
so-called  complete  concentrated  fertilizers  containing  only  IOO 
Ibs.  of  nitrogen  to  the  ton,  except  when  applied  in  large  quanti- 
ties. In  nitrates  we  have  just  the  element  of  plant-food  needed, 
and  by  applying  it  in  small  quantities  about  as  fast  as  the  plants 
can  utilize  it,  we  have  it  in  our  power  to  stimulate  a  thrifty 

(37) 


38 — How  to  Make  the  Garden  Pay. 

growth  of  foliage  at  comparatively  slight  expense,  and  at  a  time 
when  the  product  will  bring  the  most  money  in  market. 

Nitrate  of  soda  contains  about  i6or  17  percent,  of  nitrogen, 
but  this  in  a  most  soluble  form,  so  that  it  would  not  be  safe  to 
use  it  in  large  quantities  at  a  time,  for  what  is  not  at  once 
converted  into  plant  structure,  will  gradually  sink  through  the 
soil  as  it  would  through  a  sieve,  and  be  lost.  The  most  eco- 
nomical and  most  satisfactory  method  is  the  application  of  not 
over  100  Ibs.  to  150  Ibs.  per  acre  repeated  at  intervals  of  about 
two  weeks.  If  lumpy,  it  should  be  pounded  fine  before  applying 
it.  Scatter  it  over  the  ground  when  the  foliage  of  plants  is 
perfectly  dry,  as  it  is  apt  to  scorch  the  leaves  otherwise,  or  still 
better,  apply  just  before  or  during  a  rain,  when  it  will  be  dissolved 
and  carried  into  the  soil  at  once.  Sprinkling  over  the  land  in 
solution  is  a  safe  but  generally  less  "convenient  mode  of  applica- 
tion. It  costs  from  $50  to  $60  per  ton,  and  can  be  obtained  from 
the  large  fertilizer  manufacturers. 

Sulphate  of  ammonia,  a  by-product  of  gas  works,  contains 
about  20  per  cent,  of  nitrogen  ;  but  this  is  in  a  more  stable  form, 
as  it  has  to  undergo  the  transformation  into  nitrate  before  being 
readily  available.  Its  effect  is  naturally  slower,  but  more  lasting, 
and  it  can  be  applied.in  larger  quantities,  or  in  single  applications, 
without  fear  of  loss.  It  may  take  the  place  of  nitrate  of  soda 
during  the  warmer  part  of  the  season  with  gratifying  results,  and 
in  combination  with  that  salt  at  any  time,  the  latter  for  immediate 
effect,  the  former  as  a  more  gradual  source  of  supply. 

The  price  of  sulphate  of  ammonia  is  a  trifle  higher  than  that 
of  nitrate  of  soda.  Undoubtedly  we  have  in  these  two  salts  the 
cheapest  forms  of  available  nitrogen,  and  ready  means  to  produce 
immediate  and  often  astonishing  results.  I  cannot  refrain  from 
repeating  the  statement,  that  the  gardener  who  scorns  the  use  of 
these  nitrogen  compounds  will  have  a  hard  stand  against  the 
competition  of  growers  who  put  on  the  market  the  crisp,  succu- 
lent and  early  vegetables  that  can  be  so  easily  produced  in  all 
their  perfection  by  the  judicious  application  of  nitrate  of  soda  and 
sulphate  of  ammonia. 

Hen  manure  might  have  been  mentioned  in  the  chapter  on 
stable  compost.  It  is  especially  rich  in  nitrogen.  A  ton  when 
fresh  contains  more  than  twice,  and  a  ton  of  the  dry  article  more 
than  four  times  the  quantity  of  nitrogen  contained  in  a  ton  of 
common  stable  manure.  This  will  give  an  idea  of  its  value  for 
the^garden.  I  always  compost  it  with  loam,  muck,  coal  ashes, 
leaves,  etc.,  apply  after  plowing  (broadcast)  and  stir  it  into  the 
surface  soil  by  means  of  harrow,  cultivator  and  rake.  My  neigh- 
bors sometimes  ask  me  what  new  variety  of  spinach,  parsley,  etc., 
I  have  in  my  family  garden,  and  request  me  to  procure  some  seed 
of  it  for  them.  Yet  the  "  new  "  and  wonderfully  thrifty  vegetable 


Manures  for  the  Garden. — 39 

most  likely  is  none  other  than  one  of  the  standard  sorts  they  have 
in  their  own  garden,  the  only  difference  being  that  my  ground 
was  manured  with  one  ton  per  acre  of  high-grade  complete 
fertilizer,  and  a  good  top  dressing  of  composted  hen  manure,  with 
frequent  but  very  light  applications  of  nitrate  of  soda,  while  my 
neighbors  grounds  were  fed  with  extravagant  quantities  of  stable 
compost.  The  same  method  of  feeding  crops  has  always  enabled 
me  to  grow  celery  and  other  plants,  and  celery  for  the  table  also, 
in  great  perfection. 

In  cotton-seed  meal  we  have  another  nitrogenous  manure  of 
special  value  for  the  market  gardener,  but  as  yet  very  little 
appreciated  or  used.  A  ton  contains  about  140  Ibs.  of  nitrogen, 
60  Ibs.  of  phosphoric  acid,  and  40  Ibs.  of  potash,  and  is 
worth  fully  $3$.oo  as  manure.  When  mixed  and  composted 
with  stable  manure  it  increases  the  comparative  amount  of  nitro- 


Spinach  Fed  with  Nitrates,  etc.,  and  as  Usually  Grown. 

gen  of  the  latter,  and  therefore  its  effectiveness.  Gardeners  who 
keep  stock  should  feed  cotton-seed  meal  to  the  fullest  extent  that 
it  is  safe  to  do.  It  then  gives  double  returns,  namely,  in  increase 
of  flesh,  and  improvement  of  manure.  Where  nitrate  of  soda, 
on  account  of  distance  from  source  of  supply  and  consequent 
high  cost,  cannot  be  used  advantageously,  cotton-seed  meal  can 
often  be  had  at  a  comparatively  low  price,  and  should  then  be 
used  in  place  of  the  nitrogen  compounds. 

Potash  in  any  special  form  is  hardly  ever  needed  for  the 
crops  on  common  garden  land,  since  stable  compost  and  the 
average  high-grade  complete  fertilizer  supply  an  abundance,  and 
often  an  excess  of  it,  to  the  crops  already.  A  different  thing  it 
is  with  peaty  and  mucky  soils.  These  have  already  an  abun- 
dance of  the  nitrogenous  element,  although  mostly  in  fixed 
combinations,  and  hence  in  an  unavailable  form.  On  the  other 
hand,  the  mineral  elements  are  scantily  supplied.  Stable  manure 
would  add  a  comparatively  large  amount  of  nitrogen  at  great 
expense  to  the  already  vast  store,  and  but  small  quantities  of 
phosphoric  acid  and  potash.  Such  lands,  for  that  reason,  can  be 


40 — How  to  Make  the  Garden  Pay. 

made  productive  in  the  cheapest  and  quickest  way  by  applications 
of  phosphoric  acid  and  potash,  in  the  form  of  a  plain  superphos- 
phate, or  bone  meal,  in  combination  with  wood  ashes.  The 
alkaline  nature  of  the  latter  neutralizes  injurious  acids,  and  helps 
to  make  nitrogen  available.  Unleached  wood  ashes  can  be 
applied  at  the  rate  of  100  bushels  and  more  per  acre  with  perfect 
safety,  and  leached  ashes  in  much  larger  quantities.  As  means 
of  protecting  crops  against  the  ill  effects  of  a  prolonged  drought, 
however,  wood  ashes  have  no  mean  value  on  any  soil.  I  will 
refer  to  this  subject  in  a  future  chapter. 

The  question  is  often  referred  to  me :  "  Will  it  pay  a  renter  to 
apply  manures  on  land  that  he  will  or  may  have  to  vacate  the  next 
season  ?  "  This  can  have  but  one  answer.  It  stands  between 
the  use  of  manure  and  the  unsatisfactory  outcome  of  the  business. 
No  manure — no  paying  crop.  But  in  case  of  pending  removal,  it 
will  always  be  safest  to  use  the  quick-acting  commercial  fertilizers, 
and  nitrate  of  soda  in  preference  to  the  slower  and  more  lasting 
stable  manure.  The  nitrate  of  soda  is  all  and  entirely  utilized  for 
the  next  crop,  or  leached  out  of  the  soil,  and  of  the  commercial 
fertilizer  only  an  inconsiderable  part  will  be  left  to  increase  the 
successor's  crops,  if  the  soil  is  as  thoroughly  cropped  all 
through  the  season  as  it  should  be.  Stable  manure  is  apt  to 
donate  only  a  part  of  its  plant-foods  for  the  production  of  the 
same  year's  crops,  and  much  of  the  expensive  material  would 
probably  be  left  for  the  benefit  of  the  renter's  successor. 


CHAPTER  IX. 


GARDEN  IMPLEMENTS 


AND  HOW  TO  USE  THEM. 
"  Only  the  best  is  good  enough." 

T  is  not  many  years  since  the  spade  was  considered  the 
first  requisite  in  the  garden.  Now  we  know  that  a 
good  two-horse  plow  does  the  work  of  turning  the 
soil  not  only  much  faster,  and  with  less  labor  to  man 
than  spade  or  spading  fork,  but  much  better  at  the 
same  time.  Good  plows  are  now  on  sale  at  every 
hardware  store,  and  used  by  all  intelligent  farmers. 
In  fact  there  are  more  good  plows  than  good  plowers  ; 
for  simple  as  the  operation  seems  to  be,  but  few  people  know 
how  to  do  it  to  best  advantage.  Straight  lines  and  even  furrows 
require  much  less  work  than  crooked  lines  and  irregular  furrows. 
There  is  a  knack  about  this  natural  to  some  people,  but  not 
easily  acquired  by  the  average  "  hired  man,"  and  the  gardener,  ii 
he  desires  to  have  the  work  done  well,  must  do  it  himself  or 


t 

3 

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ft  fl>0*v  «» 
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a  a   9 

Sample  of  Faulty  Plowing. 

instruct  his  men  how  to  do  it.  Suppose  we  have  a  strip  of  land 
to  plow  of  shape  as  here  shown,  and  situated  between  strips  of 
standing  crops.  Even  a  poor  plowman  will  find  little  difficulty 
of  striking  out  the  furrow  in  centre,  and  to  go  on  all  right  for 
awhile  ;  but  as  the  plowing  progresses,  and  the  team  naturally 

(40 


42 — How  to  Make  the  Garden  Pay. 

crowds  towards  the  plowed  ground  when  nearing  the  end  of  long 
furrows  on  each  side,  the  corners  become  rounded,  and  when  the 
piece  is  all  plowed  clear  to  the  sides,  the  four  corners  will  still  be 
left  untouched,  and  must  be  finished  with  an  immoderate  amount 
of  turning,  and  at  last  will  be  poorly  done,  or  left  partly  unfin- 
ished. A  good  plowman  will  strike  his  last  furrow  exactly  on 
the  very  edge  of  the  piece. 

The  market  gardener  also  needs  a  good,  light  one-horse 
plow,  to  plow  up  smaller  patches  for  second  and  third  crops,  in 
cultivating  and  hilling-up  celery,  and  for  various  other  uses. 
Every  hardware  dealer  keeps  them. 

Subsoiling  is  not  absolutely  necessary  for  warm  loam  with 
porous  subsoil,  but  generally  of  considerable  benefit  for  soils 

resting  on  a  heavier  and  com- 
pact lower  stratum.  Such  a 
plow  following  in  the  furrow 
made  by  the  common  plow,  is 
intended  to  lift  and  break  the 
layer  next  under  the  top  soil. 
It  is  not  often  used  in  the  home 

Cutaway  Harrow.  garden'     Among  modern  har- 

rows    we    nave    some    most 

excellent  tools  designed  and  suited  for  special  purposes.  The 
"  Cutaway  "  is  a  deep  cutting  implement,  and  in  many  cases  can 
almost  take  the  place  of  the  plow,  but  it  is  hardly  necessary  for  the 
market  gardener.  The  "Disk" 
is  another  good  farmer's  har- 
row, and  doing  thorough  work, 
especially  on  freshly-turned, 
tough  sod ;  but  an  "Acme  " 
will  answer  as  well  as  any 
other  for  breaking  up  and 
fining  the  mellow  lands  in  the 
garden.  In  an  emergency 
almost  any  of  the  older-style,  Acme  Harrow- 

plain  steel-tooth  harrows  may  be  used.  The  "  Thomas' 
Smoothing"  harrow,  however,  is  so  useful  and  effective  in 
finishing  off  a  piece  of  land  for  sowing  seeds,  in  killing 
weeds  in  corn  and  potato  fields  early  in  the  season,  that 
neither  farmer  nor  gardener  can  well  afford  to  do  without  it. 
The  diligent  use  of  this  implement  will  bring  the  soil  in  fine 
tilth,  and  often  leave  it  in  moderately  good  shape  for  sowing  or 
planting,  but  it  will  always  be  advisable  to  apply  the  finishing 
touch  with  a  Meeker  Disk  harrow,  which  does  as  good  work 
as  a  steel-rake,  and  much  faster  and  more  conveniently.  We 
also  need  a  good  spade ;  a  spading  fork ;  sharp,  light  hoes ;  dibbers, 
etc.  The  latter  are  simply  pieces  of  hardwood,  with  an  iron 


Garden  Implements — 43 

point  and  a  convenient  handle.  The  new  style  of  dibber,  here 
illustrated,  consisting  of  a  flat  steel  blade  with  handle,  is  a  great 
improvement  on  the  old  tool,  and  I  hope  will  soon  be  put  on  sale 
generally.  The  home  gardener, 
who  generally  sows  seeds  by 
hand,  needs  a  marker,  which  may 
be  a  cheap,  home-made  affair, 
constructed  from  a  piece  of 
scantling  4  by  4,  with  three  or 
four  sharpened  strips  of  inch 
Old-style  Dibbers,  board  securely  nailed  on  in  front, 
or  mortised  in,  so  that  the  pointed 
ends  are  15  or  16  inches  apart  Two  poles  are 
adjusted  for  handles.  The  marker  may  be  made 
reversible,  with  another  set  of  teeth,  but  only  12 
inches  apart,  pointing  in  the  opposite  direction. 
The  market  gardener  will  also  need  a  tool  of  this 
kind  for  marking  the  rows  where  he  wishes  to  plant 
onion  sets,  or  to  set  lettuce  plants,  etc.  The  distance 
between  the  teeth  must  be  regulated  according  to  his 
purpose.  Markers  as  found  in  general  use  are  here 
illustrated.  .Indispensable  in  the  market  garden,  and 
still  more  so  in  the  farm  garden,  and  convenient  to  have  even 

in  the  home  garden, 
is  a  good  seed  drill. 
The  leading  imple- 
ments now  in  use  are 
Matthews'  and  Planet 
Jr.  garden  drills.  The 
latter  is  shown  in  illus- 


New- style 
Dibber. 


Marker  for  Home  Garden. 


tration  on  next  page. 


For  accuracy  and  regularity  of  depositing  the  seed,  and  ease  and 
rapidity  of  operation,  the  Planet  Jr.  has  hardly  a  peer.  It  affords 
a  safe,  easy,  and  perfect  method  of  sowing  smaller  seeds  over  large 
or  small  areas.  The 
intelligent  farmer  who 
has  learned  to  appre- 
ciate the  mangels,  and 
carrots  and  other  root 
crops  as  winter  food 
for  cattle,  sheep,  hogs 
and  horses,  and  makes 
it  a  practice  to  plant 
largely  of  them  every 
year,  is  not  unacquainted  with  the  merits  of  the  garden  drills, 
and  often  would  not  consider  his  assortment  of  implements 
complete  without  a  good  garden  seed  sower. 


Marker  for  the  Market  Garden. 


44 — How  to  Make  the  Garden  Pay. 

But  the  tool  of  all  tools,  the  modern  weed-slayer,  the  great 
labor-saver,  the  greatest  horticultural  blessing  of  the  age — that 
is  the  modern  wheel-hoe.  This  above  all  others  frees  the  gar- 
dener from  undesirable  work,  cuts  down  the  labor  account  one- 
half,  and  makes  tillage,  both  in  the  home  and  market  garden,  light 
and  pleasant.  It  is  quite  a  number  of  years  ago  when  it  was 
first  introduced,  but  fortunately  for  the  progressive  gardener  for 
money,  the  slow  moving  majority  has  not  yet  recognized  its 
value.  The  advantages  connected  with  the  possession  of  one  of 
these  tools  cannot  be  over-stated,  nor  emphasized  too  strongly, 


Planet  Jr.  Garden  Drill. 

nor  told  too  frequently.  Without  the  wheel-hoe's  help  the  gar- 
dener of  to-day  cannot  hope  to  hold  out  against  his  progressive 
competitors.  It  is  the  tool  that  more  than  anything  else  has 
cheapened  the  cost  of  production  in  garden  stuff.  The  most 
perfect  implement  of  this  kind,  at  present,  is  the  "  Planet  Jr. 
Double  Wheel-Hoe,"  illustrated  in  next  Fig.,  a  cultivator,  rake  and 
plow  combined,  in  fact  an  all  purpose  tool  of  tillage,  and  good 
to  whatever  use  you  put  it.  It  can  be  made  to  hoe  both 
sides  of  one  row,  or  between  rows,  in  level  culture  and  in  throw- 
ing the  soil  either  to  or  from  the  row.  This  tool  banishes  the 
old  hand  hoe  from  the  garden  to  a  certain  extent,  and  reduces 


Garden  Implements — 45 


the  unpleasant  task  of  weeding  to  a  minimum, 
suppose  that  he  can  safely  get  along  without  a 
the  home    garden   this   implement   makes   a 


Let  no  gardener 
wheel-hoe.     In 
pleasure  of  what 


Planet  Jr.  Double  Wheel  Hoe. 

otherwise  is  a  job  dreaded  by  all.  Now  the  half-grown  boy  runs 
the  wheel-hoe  up  and  down  the  rows  of  vegetables  "  for  fun  "  and 
recreation,  and  accomplishes  in  one-half  hour  what  a  man  with  a 
hand  hoe  could  not  per- 
form in  a  whole  day. 
As  a  separate  attachment 
to  this  we  have  the  Onion 
Set  Harvester,  illustrated 
on  next  page.  As  its 
name  indicates  it  is  used 
in  harvesting  onion  sets, 
also  in  cutting  spinach 
for  market.  Similar 
cheaper  tools  have  also 

been  put  on  the  market,       ^^f^fe" S*^^^^ 
such    as    the   Planet  Jr.        ^~~-^  ^   "i-.-TV      Sps 

Planet  Jr.  Cultivating  with  Rakes. 


Single  Wheel-Hoe,  Gem 
of  the  Garden  Cultivator, 


Gregory's  Finger  Weeder,  and  others.  They  all  answer  their 
purpose  very  well,  but  the  Planet  Jr.  Double  Wheel-Hoe  stands 
at  the  head,  and  I  advise  you  to  use  no  other.  People  who  garden 


Hoeing  Between  Rows. 


46 — How  to  Make  the  Garden  Pay. 

on  a  modest  scale  are  often  tempted  to  purchase  a  combi- 
nation tool — drill  and  cultivator  combined,  such  as  Planet  Jr. 
Combined  Drill  and  Wheel-Hoe,  seen  at  work  hoeing  both  sides 

of  the  row  below,  and  as 
a  cultivator  on  next  page. 
Such  a  combination  has 
serious  objections,  how- 
ever. Its  double  purpose 
necessarily  makes  it  com- 
plicated, and  less  effective 
in  either  capacity,  and 
whenever  you  use  it  you 
are  wearing  out  two  im- 
plements at  the  same 
time.  If  you  think  you 
can  afford  but  one  tool, 
by  all  means  sow  seeds 
by  hand,  and  buy  a 
separate  double  wheel- 
hoe.  A  good  horse-hoe  can  now  be  purchased  at  almost  any  hard- 
ware store.  The  "  Planet  Jr.,"  always  unsur- 
passed, is  always  the  leader  in  improvements, 
and  has  some  novel  attractions  for  the  com- 
ing season.  One  for  instant  adjustment  of 
width,  and  another  for  quickly  securing  the 
handles  to  one  side  or  the  other,  is  a  boon  to 
grape,  hop,  and  blackberry  growers,  and  when- 
ever  covering  or  making  up  plant  ridges  is  to 
be  done.  The  illustration  on  next  page  shows 
it  in  a  useful  form,  with  a  set  of  teeth  which  are  onlyi^  inches 

in  width,  and  such  do  the  best 
work  in  stirring  the  soil.  For 
many  reasons  an  even  surface 
of  the  soil  is  most  desirable, 
and  we  want  no  ridges  and 
furrows.  Hilling  is  required 
only  in  rare  cases,  such  as  the 
last  cultivation  of  potatoes,  or 
in  the  celery  field ;  and  the 
hilling  blades  can  then  be  sub- 
stituted for  the  two  narrow 
outside  blades.  If  I  further 
emphasize  the  necessity  of 
having  the  hand  hoes  bright 
clean,  and  sharp,  and  hung  in  the  proper  angle  to  a  light, 
smooth  handle ;  of  keeping  the  steel  and  cutting  parts  of  all 
implements  bright,  and  well  oiled  when  not  in  use,  and  all  tools 


Combined  Drill  and  Wheel-Hoe. 


yx\\  B  R  A  R  yT*V 

I'  OF  THE  A 

^       COLLEGE  OF        I 
•    ^r  ^  ..  ,J3^    / 


Implements — 47 

in  their  places  under  cover,  little  else  remains  to  be  added  on 
the  subject  of  tools  of  tillage.  Implements  for  special  use,  such 
as  asparagus  bunchers,  spinach  cutters,  hand  weeders,  etc.,  will 
be  mentioned  elsewhere. 
It  is  hardly  necessary  to 
speak  of  wagons,  etc.,  as 
their  selection  depends  on 
local  fashions,  and  special 
purposes.  A  good  manure- 
spreader  may  be  a  con- 
venient implement ;  but  I 
question  whether  it  can  be 
considered  indispensable  in 
even  a  large  market  garden. 
With  the  use  of  many 
implements  of  tillage,  such 
as  the  various  styles  of 
hoes,  spades,  shovels,  forks, 
etc.,  the  question  of  "best"  is  often  dependent  on  the  habit  of  the 
user.  Some  people  after  having  once  acquired  the  "  knack  "  of 


Combined  Drill  and  Wheel-Hoe. 


Planet  Jr.  Horse  Hoe. 

handling  a  certain  tool  to  advantage  will  do  much  better  work 
with  it  than  with  a  superior  or  more  modern  one.  The  employer 
must  humor  the  whims  of  the  hired  help  in  such  cases,  and  give 
them  just  the  tool  that  they  have  learned  to  use  with  skill  and 
to  best  advantage. 

The  improvement  of  gardening  implements,  both  large  and 
small,  is  still  going  on  at  a  rapid  rate.  The  leader  of  to-day  may 
be  crowded  into  second  or  third  rank  to-morrow.  This  keeps 
the  progressive  gardener  on  the  alert  all  the  time  to  enable  him 


48 — How  to  Make  the  Garden  Pay. 

to  profit  by  any  new  device  that  may  be  of  unusual  merit,  and 
to  keep  ahead  of  his  competitors.  On  the  other  hand  I  can 
hardly  advise  the  gardener  of  moderate  means  to  invest  in  every 
new  implement  as  soon  as  put  on  the  market  under  high  claims. 
Progressiveness  in  this  respect  may  well  and  profitably  be  tem- 
pered with  quite  a  considerable  amount  of  conservatism.  Among 
implements  not  yet  in  market,  but  sadly  needed,  I  would  mention, 
i)  a  contrivance  for  mixing  paris  green  and  land-plaster  in  a  rapid, 
safe,  convenient  and  thorough  manner ;  2)  a  cheap  portable  pump 


Latest  Improvements  on  Planet  Jr.  Horse  Hoe. 

or  apparatus  for  spraying  plants  with  liquid  poisons  and  fungi- 
cides ;  3)  an  implement  for  pulverizing  the  soil  in  the  bottom  of 
deep  furrows  when  preparing  them  for  planting  potatoes ;  4)  a 
more  convenient  garden-marker  than  any  described  in  this  work 
— one  to  be  pushed  rather  than  pulled — cheap  and  simple,  etc. 


CHAPTER  X. 


COLD    FRAMES. 

THEIR  CONSTRUCTION  AND  USE. 
"  This  is  an  art  that  mends  nature." 

| OLD  frames  are  simple  affairs — box-like  structures 
covered  with  sashes.  The  latter  are  the  chief 
part,  and  involve  the  real  expense  in  the  construc- 
tion of  such  frames,  but  being  a  staple  article  of 
commerce,  and  manufactured  with  special 
machinery  in  special  factories,  can  now  be  bought 
at  (or  ordered  through)  any  supply  store  at  mod- 
erate prices.  They  usually  cost  $2.00  each,  ready 
glazed  and  painted,  and  perhaps  can  be  had  cheaper  in  large 
quantities.  The  usual  size  is  6  feet  in  length  by  3  feet  in  width, 
and  the  frames  are  made  to  correspond,  namely  6  feet  wide  and 
3  feet  in  length  for  every  sash  to  be  accommodated. 

The  selection   of   site  is   important.     The  proper  place  for 
frames  is  in  convenient  proximity  to  the  water  supply,  and  also 

,<r  • .:  • 

- 


Arrangement  of  Cold  Frames. 

in  a  position  sheltered  from  the  north  and  west,  facing  south  or 
south-east.  A  close  and  tall  hedge  of  evergreens  affords  a  most 
excellent  protection,  but  if  such  does  not  happen  to  be  where  it 
can  be  utilized  for  the  purpose,  a  tight  board  fence,  at  least  six 
feet  high,  must  be  built  at  the  north  side  of  the  beds  and 
4  (49) 


5O — How  to  Make  the  Garden  Pay. 

extending  their  whole  length.  A  building,  hedge  or  board  fence 
at  the  west  is  also  desirable.  In  this  comfortable  situation  con- 
struct your  system  of  frames,  making  it  as  easily  accessible  as 
convenient  for  operation,  and  as  snug  generally  as  circumstances 
will  permit.  The  frame  is  set  on  top  of  the  ground,  no  excava- 
tion being  required.  The  back  is  made  of  boards  12  inches  wide, 
nailed  to  stakes  driven  in  the  ground  at  the  ends  and  middle  of 
each  boafd ;  the  front  consists  of  boards  only  8  inches  wide,  and 
fastened  to  stakes  in  the  same  manner,  at  a  uniform  distance  of  6 
feet  from  the  first.  When  the  necessary  end  pieces  are  adjusted 
we  have  a  close  fitting  box,  4  inches  lower  in  front  than  at  the 
back.  Such  a  system  of  frames,  in  process  of  construction,  is 
shown  on  preceding  page. 

The  number  of  sashes  required  by  the  market  gardener 
depends  on  extent  of  business  and  area,  and  still  more  largely  on 
the  particular  line  of  work  in  which  he  is  engaged.  For  general 
market  garden  purposes  it  may  take  20  to  25  sashes  to  each  acre 
of  ground,  but  when  frames  are  extensively  used  for  the  produc- 
tion of  vegetables,  such  as  spinach,  lettuce,  carrots,  beets,  parsley 
and  soup  celery,  or  in  the  special  line  of  growing  plants  for  sale, 
the  number  of  sashes  required  will  be  proportionately  larger. 
Some  gardeners  devote  their  energies  almost  exclusively  to  cold- 
frame  products. 

In  some  cases  it  is  more  convenient  to  buy  the  sash  frames 
unglassed,  and  put  the  glass  in  them  on  the  premises.  In  this 
emergency,  as  also  in  the  work  of  repairing  and  patching  old 


Improved  Putty  Bulb. 

sashes,  the  newer  method  of  putting  on  putty  in  liquid  form,  and 
by  means  of  a  putty  bulb,  can  be  recommended  as  quite  con- 
venient, and  preferable  to  the  old  way.  The  mixture  used  for 
this  is  composed  of  one-third  white  lead,  one-third  common 
putty,  and  one-third  boiled  oil,  all  by  measure  not  by  weight. 
Mix  oil  and  putty  thoroughly,  add  the  white  lead,  and  strain.  If 
too  thick,  as  liable  to  be  in  cold  weather,  add  a  small  quantity 
of  benzine  or  turpentine.  Paint  the  sash  ;  then  fill  the  bulb  with 
the  liquid  putty,  run  a  little  of  it  along  the  sash  bars,  then  bed 
the  glass  on  it,  and  run  more  of  the  liquid  along  the  edges  of  the 


Cold  Frames — 51 

glass,  next  to  the  bars ;  allow  it  to  harden  and  you  have  a  neat 
and  tight  joint. 

USE  OF  FRAMES. — Let  us  suppose  that  the  cold  frames  are 
available  in  the  autumn  for  regular  work.  The  first  use  to  be 
made  of  them  is  in  wintering  cabbage,  cauliflower  and  lettuce 
plants  for  the  extra  early  crops.  Some  gardeners  sow  the  seed 
directly  into  the  frames  in  rows  a  few  inches  apart  and  thin 
afterwards.  A  better  way,  undoubtedly,  is  to  sow  the  seed  in 
open  ground,  about  i$th  of  September,  and  transplant  four  weeks 
later  to  the  frames.  It  is  of  greatest  importance  that  each  plant 
should  have  its  just  allowance  of  space.  Cabbage  and  cauliflower 
plants  should  have  5  or  6  square  inches  each  (plant  in  rows 
3  inches  apart  and  2  inches  apart  in  the  row),  and  lettuce  plants 
somewhat  closer  (i  ^  inches  apart  in  the  rows).  The  general 
tendency  with  gardeners  is  to  plant  too  thickly — and  this  is  a 
prolific  cause  of  failure,  or  of  poor  plants.  A  good  practice,  also, 
is  to  make  two  sowings  in  open  ground,  about  September  1 5th 
and  2Oth,  to  be  sure  of  plants.  If  the  first  sown  get  too  large, 
the  others  will  be  just  right.  Cabbage,  cauliflower  and  lettuce 
plants  are  quite  hardy,  and  can  endure  considerable  cold  weather 
without  injury.  The  sashes  must  be  put  on  by  the  time  winter 
sets  in,  and  the  chief  point  of  importance  afterwards  is  unceasing 
and  untiring  attention  to  proper  ventilation.  We  should  bear  in 
mind  that  the  object  is  not,  to  grow  plants  during  the  winter,  but 
to  keep  them  on  a  perfect  stand-still  (dormant),  and  make  them 
so  hardy  that  they  will  at  once  start  into  lively  growth  when 
planted  out  in  spring,  even  in  rather  cool  weather,  and  be  able  to 
endure  late  severe  freezes  without  check.  For  this  reason  a 
moderately  low,  not  a  warm  temperature  is  required  in  the 
frames,  and  also  a  considerable  amount  of  exposure.  On  cold 
but  clear  winter  days,  and  when  the  temperature  is  not  lower 
than  within  a  few  degrees  of  zero,  the  sashes  should  be  partly 
raised,  by  tilting  at  back  or  front,  or  by  partial  removal,  or  in 
any  other  convenient  way.  This  requires  considerable  attention 
and  good  judgment.  During  moderate  weather  the  sashes  had 
best  be  removed  entirely.  Constant  watchfulness,  and  doing  the 
right  thing  at  the  right  time,  will  insure  good  plants.  Only  in 
a  climate  with  severe  winters  are  shutters  or  mats  required  for 
additional  protection.  What  they  are,  and  how  made,  is  told  in 
next  chapter.  Deep  snow  should  not  be  left  very  many  days 
upon  the  sashes,  unless  the  ground  in  the  beds  was  frozen  at  the 
time  of  its  fall.  Early  removal  is  the  safer  treatment. 

With  all  the  progress  that  we  have  made  of  late  in  horti- 
cultural art,  and  in  spite  of  all  the  efforts  put  forth  by  good 
writers  and  publishers  in  behalf  of  the  distribution  of  horticultural 
knowledge,  it  is  a  facl  that  the  production  of  good  plants  is  the 
exception,  and  that  failure,  wholly  or  in  part,  is  the  rule.  Hence 


52 — How  to  Make  the  Garden  Pay. 

we  often  find  the  liveliest  demand  for  well-grown  wintered  plants 
at  paying  figures,  $4.00  to  $5.00  per  1,000,  being  the  usual  price, 
which  gives  an  average  of  $2.00  to  $2.50  for  the  plants  covered 
by  one  sash. 

One  of  the  most  successful  gardeners  says  :  "  I  would  pre- 
fer such  wintered  plants  at  $10  per  thousand  to  spring  (hot-bed) 
grown  plants  as  a  gift — not  to  speak  of  the  worthless  plants  that 
are  shipped  every  spring  by  the  hundred  thousand  from  the 
South,  and  palmed  off  on  the  public  as  cold-frame-wintered 
plants."  If,  on  account  of  failure  or  neglect,  the  frames  are  not 
provided  with  plants,  and  these  are  needed  for  early  use,  the  next 
best  method  of  growing  them  is  the  following  :  pack  a  layer  of 
fermenting  horse  manure  all  around  the  cold  frames,  and  sow  the 
seed  in  them  in  February ;  or  still  better,  use  hot-beds  as  directed 
under  proper  heading. 

Another,  and  a  very  important  use  of  the  cold  frames  is  for 
the  production  of  spinach,  radishes,  parsley,  soup  celery,  carrots, 
beets,  etc.,  for  early  market.  Spinach  may  be  sown  in  the 
autumn,  and  marketed  during  the  winter,  or  as  soon  as  the  crop 
is  large  enough,  and  prices  acceptable.  The  frames  can  then  be 
replanted  with  the  same  or  some  other  crop.  Vegetables  thus 
grown  in  cold  frames  often  find  ready  sale  and  remunerative 
prices  in  April  or  May.  The  extent  to  which  the  gardener  can 
engage  in  this  work  depends  on  local  conditions,  and  these  must 
be  consulted.  Make  the  soil  in  the  frames  very  rich  by  mixing 
it  freely  with  good  compost.  Watering  the  beds  with  weak  solu- 
tions of  nitrate  of  soda  generally  has  marked  results  in  pro- 
ducing quick  growth,  heavy  development  of  foliage  and  excellent 
quality,  especially  crispness  and  tenderness.  Always  sow  the 
seeds  in  rows  across  the  beds.  Early  "  marketableness  "  and  the 
greatly  desired  uniformity  can  only  be  secured  by  attention  to 
proper  thinning,  and  this  should  be  given  just  as  soon  as  the 
young  plants  are  large  enough  to  show  individual  thrift  and  other 
qualities,  so  the  most  promising  may  be  left,  and  the  undesirable 
ones  removed.  Growing  crops  under  glass  is  an  expensive  busi- 
ness on  account  of  the  glass  and  the  attention  it  requires,  and 
space  is  valuable.  Hence,  to  attain  satisfactory  results,  we  must 
aim  to  cover  the  whole  area  under  glass  with  vegetable  growth, 
yet  without  undue  crowding.  Not  a  single  square  inch  of  the 
available  area  should  be  left  unutilized,  and  yet  not  a  single  plant 
checked  in  its  development  for  lack  of  space.  This  is  a  matter 
requiring  considerable  care  and  judgment,  and  without  these 
failure  is  more  certain  than  success. 

The  results  of  a  series  of  careful  experiments  made  by 
observing  and  inquisitive  growers  of  cold  frame  crops  right  in  my 
immediate  neighborhood  seem  to  speak  in  favor  of  the  distances 


Cold  Frames — 53 

named  in  the  following  table,  as  most  profitable  for  this  special 
purpose,  viz. : 

Sow  spinach  in  rows  8-9  inches  apart,  thin  to  2  inches. 

"     beets             "         7         "          "             "  3  " 

"     carrots          "         6         "          "             "  2  " 

"     radishes       "         4         "          "             "  2  " 
"     soup  celery"         6 
«'     parsley                   6 

Under  no  circumstances  would  it  be  safe  to  make  the  rows 
still  narrower,  or  leave  the  plants  closer  in  the  rows.  If  you 
vary  from  these  distances,  by  all  means  make  them  larger. 
Instead  of  planting  the  radishes  by  themselves,  however,  it  is 
generally  preferable  to  sow  one  row  between  each  two  rows  of 
any  of  the  other  vegetables.  This  makes  the  rows  as  close  as 
three  inches  apart  in  some  cases;  but  the  radishes  will  be  off  in 
time  for  the  other  stuff  to  occupy  the  space  when  it  is  needed. 

The  usual  time  for  sowing  these  crops  is  about  March  1st 
for  New  Jersey,  and  correspondingly  earlier  or  later  further  south 
or  north;  in  other  words,  from  two  to  four  weeks  sooner  than 
the  same  vegetables  could  be  sown  in  the  open  ground.  This  is 
late  enough  to  insure  safety  from  injury  by  the  tail  end  of  winter; 
it  is  also  early  enough  to  hit  the  time  of  brisk  demand,  and  realize 
the  best  prices.  The  aim  is  to  get  these  crops  from  one  to  four 
weeks  ahead  of  the  earliest  out-door  supply.  The  competition 
from  the  South  is  generally  not  very  formidable,  as  their  modes  of 
cultivation,  perhaps  their  soil  and  climate,  and  certainly  the  long 
shipment  always  lower  the  value  of  vegetables  from  there  in  the 
eyes  of  consumers  and  dealers.  The  near-by  products  often 
bring  high  prices  when  the  southern  supply  goes  a-begging. 

This  also  is  the  case  with  head  lettuce,  so-called.  This,  like 
the  other  crops,  is  grown  in  cold  frames  during  the  latter  part  of 
winter  for  marketing  in  early  spring.  Many  gardeners  make  it 
a  practice  to  have  a  number  of  spare  frames  without  sash,  but 
covered  during  winter  with  litter  to  keep  the  ground  from  freezing. 
When  the  time  arrives  that  the  cabbage  and  lettuce  plants  in  the 
regular  frames  can  get  along  without  glass  protection,  perhaps 
by  March  1st,  the  spare  frames  are  made  ready,  planted  with 
lettuce  plants  from  the  wintered  supply,  and  these  set  six  or 
seven  inches  apart  each  way.  They  are  then  covered  with  the 
sashes  taken  from  the  cold  frames  containing  wintered  plants,  and 
tended  in  a  similar  way  as  the  plant  frames  by  giving  ventilation 
when  needed.  Aim  to  stimulate  early  and  full  development  of 
the  crop  in  every  way  possible.  Applications  of  nitrate  of  soda, 
either  dry  or  in  solution,  or  of  liquid  manure  hardly  ever  fail  to 
pay  well.  If  it  is  thought  risky  to  leave  the  wintered  plants, 
from  which  the  sashes  were  removed,  entirely  without  protection, 


54 — How  to  Make  the  Garden  Pay. 

simple  home-made  frames  covered  with  common  muslin  (or  with 
the  waterproof  cloth  now  made  for  the  purpose),  might  be  sub- 
stituted for  the  glass  sashes,  and  the  plants  kept  thus  protected 
during  the  night  until  danger  is  past. 

WATERING  THE  BEDS. — It  is  not  necessary  to  apply  water  at 
this  time  very  frequently,  except  quite  late  in  the  season,  and 
during  clear  weather ;  but  when  done  the  application  should  be 
thorough — no  mere  sprinkling  will  do.  The  most  convenient 
method  is  by  means  of  force  pump  or  pressure,  and  rubber 
hose.  Later  the  rains  of  heaven  should  be  called  into  service 
whenever  they  happen  to  occur  at  an  opportune  period.  The 
careful  manager,  by  speedy  and  entire  removal  of  the  sashes 
from  the  beds,  can  often  save  much  labor  otherwise  required  for 
watering  the  crops  by  artificial  means. 

In  many  localities,  especially  where  the  seasons  are  com- 
paratively long,  as  in  New  Jersey,  the  cold  frames  after  having 
done  duty  in  the  production  of  vegetables,  may  then  be  further 
used  for  growing  late  tomato  plants,  or  for  finishing  and  harden- 
ing off  tomato  plants  raised  in  hot-beds.  Market  gardeners  in 
districts  where  tomatoes  are  grown  in  field  culture  for  the  canning 
establishments,  often  have  considerable  call  for  plants  up  to  July. 
It  is  true  such  plants  must  be  sold  low,  often  at  no  more  than 
$1.50  per  thousand  ;  but  as  they  are  grown  as  a  second  or  third 
crop,  and  600  to  800  of  them  may  be  grown  under  each  sash, 
this  feature  adds  quite  considerably  to  the  profits  of  running  cold 
frames. 

Forcing  cucumbers  is  another  industry  in  which  the  cold 
frame  is  made  to  serve  a  good  purpose.  After  the  lettuce  or  crop 
of  wintered  plants  is  cleared  off,  a  few  cucumber  seeds  are  planted 
in  center  of  sash.  When  the  vines  are  up,  ventilation  is  given  as 
needed,  and  the  sashes  removed  entirely  as  soon  as  the  season 
has  pretty  well  advanced,  and  the  vines  begin  to  crowd  the 
sashes.  This  crop,  coming,  as  did  the  other,  a  few  weeks  in 
advance  of  the  earliest  out-door  supply,  generally  brings  remune- 
rative prices.  Melons  can  be  grown  in  a  similar  way. 

The  exact  dates  of  planting,  what  crops  to  gro\v,  and  to  what 
extent  for  each — all  these  are  questions  of  local  bearing,  depend- 
ing on  climate,  season,  demand  of  the  market,  and  usual  price 
of  products.  In  every  one  of  these  enterprises  constant  thought 
and  study,  earnest  consideration  of  these  questions  in  all  their 
intricacy  and  various  aspects  and  bearings,  and  pretty  good 
judgment,  are  first  requisites  of  success.  On  these  the  whole 
matter  hinges,  much  more  than  on  rules  and  instructions  which 
at  best  can  be  only  of  a  general  rather  than  special  character. 

Southern  climate  often  permits  the  use  of  cold  frames. where 
hot-beds  would  be  required  at  the  north. 


Cold  Frames. — 55 

By  taking  advantage  of  the  additional  protection  during  the 
night  that  mats  or  shutters  afford,  tomato  and  even  egg-plants 
can  be  grown  without  bottom  heat.  This  question,  however, 
must  also  be  left  largely  to  the  judgment  of  the  individual  grower, 
who  is  acquainted  with  his  local  conditions. 

The  use  of  cold  frames  in  starting  lima  beans,  cucumbers, 
melons,  etc.,  by  planting  on  squares  of  inserted  sod,  which  are 
to  be  transferred  to  the  open  ground  when  the  season  has 
sufficiently  advanced,  will  be  referred  to  at  another  occasion. 


CHAPTER   XL 


MANURE  HOT-BEDS. 


THEIR   CONSTRUCTION   AND    USE. 
"A  little  leaven  leaveneth  the  whole  lump." 

N  outward  appearance  and  arrangement  hot-beds  resem- 
ble the  cold  frames  described  in  preceding  chapter. 
In  the  cold  frames  no  artificial  heat  was  employed, 
while  the  hot -beds  have  what  is  called  "bottom 
heat."  The  material  most  generally  used  by  gardeners 
for  producing  this  heat  is  fresh  horse  manure. 

The  proper  place  for  the  hot-beds  is  in  same 
plot  with  the  cold  frames,  near  the  water  supply, 
and  under  the  shelter  of  a  hill,  building,  or  tight,  tall  fence 
or  hedge.  Make  an  excavation  a  little  more  than  six  feet 
wide  (for  sash  of  common  length),  24  inches  deep,  and  as 
long  as  needed  to  accommodate  the  desired  number  of  sashes, 
running  east  and  west,  or  northeast  and  southwest. 
Set  stakes  half  a  board  length  apart  on  each  side,  and  enclose 

the  excavation  tightly 
with  boards  clear  from 
the  bottom  up,  to  hinder 
the  intrusion  of  moles, 
rats  and  mice.  The  north 
side  may  be  12  or  1 8 
inches  high  above  the 
surface,  the  south  side 
six  inches  lower,  so  as 
to  give  the  sashes  the 


Cross-bar  for  hot  bed. 


needed  slope  to  carry  off 
rain  and  snow  water,  and 
the  sun  all  the  better  chance  to  reach  the  soil,  and  stimulate  plant 
life  under  the  sashes.  When  the  frame  is  in  place,  a  strip  of 
inch  board,  wide  enough  to  serve  as  rest  for  the  sash  edges,  and 
having  a  two  inch  upright  in  the  centre,  as  shown  in  illustration, 
is  then  fastened  across  where  each  two  sashes  meet. 

The   preparation  of  the  manure,   although  quite  a  simple 
matter,  is  still  a  mysterious  subject  formally  gardeners,  and  the 
knowledge  of  the  simple  principles  involved  in  this  question  is 
(56) 


Manure  Hot-Beds. — 57 

not  general.  Many  growers  fear  the  uncertainties  connected 
with  this  method  of  heating  beds.  The  yeast  fungus,  which  is 
the  cause  of  fermentation,  if  once  introduced  into  a  manure  heap 
suitable  to  its  growth,  spreads  quite  rapidly,  and  soon  has  the 
whole  mass  in  a  state  of  heat.  Horse  manure  is  the  best  because 
richest  or  if  hottest,"  for  this  purpose,  and  sheep  manure  comes 
next.  The  manure  made  from  animals  fed  highly  with  grain, 
bran,  oil  meal,  etc.,  is  most  suitable.  It  should  contain  plenty  of 
urine-soaked  litter;  and  the  addition  of  half  its  bulk  of  dry  forest 
leaves,  especially  after  they  have  been  used  as  absorbents  in  the 
stables,  is  always  of  advantage.  The  object  in  view  is  the  pro- 
duction of  uniform  and  immediate  heat  all  through  the  bed,  and 
for  this  reason  the.  spores  or  seed  of  fermentation  should  be 
spread  all  through  the  manure  heap,  and  the  latter 
thus  tempered — leavened,  as  it  were.  To  do  this,  draw  the 
manure  to  a  convenient  place  near  the  hot-beds,  and  pile  it  up  in 
a  conical  heap,  leaving  it  there  until  fermentation  has  well  started 
in.  In  very  cold  weather  it  may  be  necessary  to  cover  the  pile 
lightly  with  straw,  hay,  or  other  loose  litter  to  prevent  freezing 
from  the  outside  before  the  heating  has  begun.  Before  fermen- 
tation becomes  too  lively, 
as  indicated  by  escaping 
steam,  the  heap  may  be, 
forked  over  again,  and 
piled  up  as  before  for  a 
few  days  to  heat,  or 
thrown  immediately  into 
the  pit,  taking  pains  to 
mix  the  fermenting  part 
all  through  the  whole 
mass,  and  to  break 
up  all  lumps.  If  the 
manure  is  already  very 

hot  at  this  time,  tread  it  down  firmly;  but  if  fermentation  has 
only  just  set  in  lightly,  leave  the  manure  in  the  pit  somewhat 
loose,  and  fill  up  clear  to  the  top  of  frames.  In  settling,  a 
depression  is  apt  to  form  all  along  the  middle  of  the  bed,  and 
right  there  the  manure  should  be  packed  more  solid  than  at  the 
sides.  Now  put  on  the  sashes,  and  leave  until  fermentation 
has  again  become  quite  active  all  through  the  bed;  then  tread 
down  solid,  even  off  where  needed,  and  cover  with  soil  about 
six  inches  deep.  Soil,  to  be  in  best  condition  for  this  purpose, 
should  have  been  prepared  the  fall  previous,  and  be  kept  safe 
from  freezing  until  wanted.  It  must  be  rich  and  fine,  and  consist 
of  about  one-third  well-rotted  compost,  and  two-thirds  good 
loam,  rotten  turf,  etc. 

The    beds  should  now    be  left  until  the  soil  has   become 


Hot-bed  cross  section. 


58 — How  to  Make  the  Garden  Pay. 

warmed  through,  and  the  weed  seeds  near  the  surface  have 
had  time  to  germinate.  Then  remove  the  sashes,  rake  the 
surface  thoroughly  to  kill  the  weeds,  and  make  a  smooth  and 
fine  seed-bed;  and  you  are  ready  for  planting  or  sowing  seed. 
The  illustration  on  preceding  page  represents  a  cross-section  of 
bed. 

Sometimes  the  manure,  especially  if  poor,  i.  e.  from  poorly- 
fed  animals,  refuses  to  come  to  a  heat.  Then  all  you  have  to  do 
is  to  make  it  richer  by  mixing  it  with  hen  manure,  bone  dust  or 
by  throwing  hot  soapsuds,  rank  liquid  manure,  etc.,  upon  it. 
This  treatment  will  generally  bring  it  to  terms.  One  good  load 
of  manure  is  about  sufficient  for  two  sashes. 

The  depth  of  the  manure  in  hot-beds  is  variously  given  as 
1 8,  24  and  30  inches.  This  is  a  question  hinging  on  locality, 
season  and  plants  to  be  grown.  For  general  purposes  in  a  climate 
like  that  of  New  Jersey  or  southern  Pennsylvania,  and  late  in 
February,  or  beginning  of  March,  an  1 8-inch  layer  of  fermenting 
manure  may  do ;  but  in  a  severer  climate,  earlier  in  the  winter, 
or  for  the  production  of  pepper  and  egg  plants,  or  other  plants 
requiring  considerable  heat,  the  manure  should  be  24  to  30  inches 
in  depth,  and  the  pit  be  dug  deep  enough  to  answer  these  condi- 
tions. The  first  use  in  the  season  made  of  the  hot-beds  is  in  grow- 
ing lettuce  for  early 
market.  They  are  got 
in  readiness  and  planted 
by  middle  of  January. 
Plant  about  6  or  7  inches 
square,  cover  the  beds 
with  straw  mats  or  light 
shutters  during  cold 
nights,  and  give  ventila- 
Firming  Board.  tion  in  clear,  warm  days. 

Radishes  are    grown  in 

same  way.  Watering,  if  not  done  by  means  of  a  stream  forced 
through  rubber  hose,  is  facilitated  by  means  of  a  long-spouted 
watering  pot  or  sprinkler.  When  the  crop  is  taken  off,  the  beds 
may  be  used  same  as  cold  frames. 

STARTING  EARLY  PLANTS. — The  chief  and  most  important 
use  of  hot-beds  is  for  the  production  of  egg  plants,  tomato  and 
pepper  plants,  also  of  cabbage  plants  for  early  planting  when  the 
needed  supply  of  cold-frame-wintered  plants  is  not  at  hand. 
For  starting  tomato,  egg  and  pepper  plants,  the  beds  are 
generally  put  in  readiness  in  February  or  March,  and  the  seed 
sown  rather  thickly  (best  in  regular  rows),  lightly  covered 
with  fine  soil,  mold  or  pulverized  moss,  and  firmed  by  lightly 
patting  the  soil  with  some  convenient  implement,  as  the  back 


Manure  Hot-Beds. — 59 

of  rake  or  hoe,  or  with  a  piece  of  board  with  handle,  made 
especially  for  this  purpose,  of  the  shape  shown  in  engraving. 
In  watering,  a  fine  rose  sprinkler,  or  a  coarse  spray  nozzle 
and  tepid  water  should  be  used.  It  is  not  safe  to  let  the  soil  get 
dry,  or  to  neglect  ventilation  on  warm  clear  days.  During  cold 
nights,  especially  at  the  extreme  North,  the  beds  will  need 
additional  protection  by  straw  mats  or  board  shutters.  The 
liability  of  the  weather  to  suprise  us  with  sudden  changes  must 
keep  the  grower  always  on  the  alert.  It  is  never  wise  to  with- 
hold protection  for  the  night  because  the  evening  is  warm,  or 
neglect  the  bed  for  the  day  because  the  morning  is  cloudy. 
Sometimes  in  a  dark  day,  when  ventilation  does  not  seem  to  be 
required,  the  sun  will  suddenly  break  through  the  clouds  at  mid- 
day, threatening  to  burn  the  plants  if  the  sashes  are  not  speedily 
removed  or  raised.  In  short,  hot-beds  require  constant  and 
careful  watching. 

SHUTTERS  AND  MATS. — The  shutters  used  for  additional 
protection  are  made  of  half-inch  stuff,  and  of  size  of  sash.  A 
stack  of  them  piled  up  when  not  in  use,  is  here  illustrated. 


Stack  of  Shutters.  • 

The  straw  mats  can  also  be  made  by  the  most  unskilled  person 
from  long  rye  straw  tied  with  tarred  string.  Their  manufacture 
is  a  simple  thing  indeed.  Make  a  frame  7  by  4  feet,  as  seen  in 
engraving,  and  tightly  stretch  four  or  five  parallel  stout  tarred 
strings,  ten  to  twelve  inches  apart,  from  top  to  bottom.  Have  as 
many  balls  of  lighter  tarred  string,  and  fasten  one  end  to  each 
upright  string  next  the  bottom,  leaving  the  balls  in  front  of  the 
frame.  Now  lay  a  whisk  of  straw,  cut  sides  out,  in  the  junction 
of  the  strings  at  the  bottom,  and  fasten  it  there  by  twisting  each 
of  the  smaller  strings  once  around  the  straw  and  the  upright 


60 — How  to  Make  the  Garden  Pay. 

string.  Next  put  on  another  whisk  of  straw,  and  continue 
until  frame  is  full,  and  the  mat  finished.  The  whole  expense 
connected  with  these  handy  conveniences  and  effective  means  of 
protecting  early  tender  plants  in  frames  is  a  quantity  of  nice, 
clean,  bright  rye  straw  and  some  tarred  string.  The  labor 
required  in  making  them  does  not  count  for  much  as  the  work 
can  be  done  in  a  convenient  outbuilding,  or  under  a  shed  during 
rainy  days  at  leisure.  In  the  course  of  a  season  a  large  supply 
of  such  mats  may  be  made,  and  as  they  can  be  rolled  up,  stored 
and  handled  conveniently,  and  besides  give  the  very  best  of 
protection  against  cold,  they  are  greatly  to  be  preferred  to 


Frame  for  making  Straw  Mats. 

board  shutters.  Rye  cut  before  the  grain  has  formed  makes  the 
best  material  for  mats,  and  the  gardener  in  need  of  them  will  find 
it  a  good  plan  to  have  a  piece  of  rye  grown  and  cut  at  the  period 
named  for  this  very  purpose. 

FLATS,  ETC. — When  the  plants  are  large  enough — perhaps 
in  five  or  six  weeks — they  are  transplanted  in  other  newly-made 
hot-beds  giving  space  enough  for  their  full  development,  or  2  to 
4  inches  square.  This  is  often  done  (and  a  superior  way  it  is) 
by  putting  an  inch  or  so  of  sand  or  soil  upon  the  new  manure, 
and  placing  upon  this  foundation,  close  together,  shallow  boxes 
called  "  flats  "  into  which  the  plants  are  set  at  the  proper  distance. 
If  plants  are  to  be  retailed  by  the  dozen,  it  is  well  to  make  the 


Manure  Hot-Beds.— 61 

flats  hold  one  dozen  plants  each,  or  of  various  sizes  and  contain- 
ing various  quantities  as  may  be  desired  by  the  purchaser. 
More  and  more  ventilation  is  given  as  the  season  advances,  and 
the  plants  must  be  perfectly  hardened  off  by  exposure,  transfer 
to  open  cold  frames  or  otherwise,  before  they  can  be  safely 
placed  into  the  open  ground.  This  is  a  matter  of  greater 
importance  than  most  people  imagine.  Millions  of  early  started 
and  well-grown  plants  are  annually  set  out,  that  in  transplanting 
before  they  have  been  properly  accustomed  to  the  hardships  of 
outdoor  life,  receive  a  check  from  which  they  do  not  recover  soon 
enough  to  prevent  much  later  plants,  or  even  natural  seedlings, 
from  getting  ahead  of  them,  and  producing  fruit  much  the  earliest. 
The  proper  hardening  off  of  plants  is  one  of  the  secrets  of  success, 
and  perhaps  a  leading  one,  in  the  production  of  early  crops  of 
garden  fruits. 

SOIL  FT>R  FLATS. — The  most  important  item  of  annual 
expense  connected  with  running  manure  hot-beds  is  the  manure 
used  for  fuel.  But,  after  all,  this  costs  nothing  in  reality,  since  it 
loses  very  little  fertilizing  substance  by  the  process  of  slow  com- 
bustion in  the  hot-bed,  and  when  dug"  out  next  fall,  or  in  the 
spring  following,  is  worth  fully  as  much  to  the  gardener  as  when 
first  put  in,  if  not  more.  It  went  into  the  pit — a  raw  and 
unreliable  manure ;  it  comes  out — a  fine,  rich  compost,  and  when 
mixed  with  the  soil  in  the  hot-beds,  and  perhaps  still  increased 
in  bulk  by  additional  admixture  of  sandy  loam,  then  fined  and 
sifted,  makes  the  very  best  imaginable  soil  for  the  "flats"  spoken 
of,  or  for  hot-bed  and  cold  frame  use  generally,  and  this  is  worth 
to  the  gardener  even  more  than  first  cost  of  the  manure.* 

While  therefore  the  item  of  expense  alone  is  decidedly  in 
favor  of  manure  hot-beds,  there  are,  on  the  other  hand,  serious 
inconveniences,  and  sometimes  obstacles  connected  with  it.  The 
right  kind  of  manure  is  not  always  to  be  easily  obtained,  or  not 
in  the  required  quantities ;  the  heat  is  only  partially  under  the 
control  of  the  gardener,  and  the  whftle  thing  connected  with 
many  uncertainties,  especially  for  the  less  experienced  manager. 
Then  there  is  the  annual  digging,  and  composting,  and  refilling, 
and  with  all  these  inconveniences,  your  fuel  will  last  only  for  a 
few  weeks.  For  this  reason  I  have  always  looked  with  some- 
what of  disfavor  upon  manure  as  fuel  for  hot-beds,  and  have  had 
an  open  eye  for  a  more  steady  and  controllable  heating  method. 
In  some  respects  I  consider  the  fire  hot-bed  a  great  improvement 
on  the  manure  hot-bed. 

*If  hot-bed  and  cold  frame  making  is  a  new  undertaking,  and  soil  was  not  prepared,  as  it  should 
be,  the  summer  or  fall  before,  nor  compost  from  hot-beds  to  be  had  for  the  purpose,  it  is  often  difficult 
to  find  just  what  is  wanted  in  the  winter  with  the  ground  frozen  solid.  It  may  then  be  necessary  to 
look  for  a  supply  in  the  cellar,  under  barns,  sheds,  other  outbuildings,  or  under  the  manure  heap. 
Cart  from  any  source  at  hand,  mix  and  sift,  through  a  coarse  sieve  first,  and  thrcugh  finer  ones  as  the 
stuff  becomes  drier  and  finer. 


CHAPTER  XII. 

FIRE  HOT-BEDS 

AND    THEIR     CONSTRUCTION. 
"  Nothing  is  denied  to  well-directed  labor." 

HE  cognizance  of  the  weak  points  in  the  common 
manure  hot-bed  has  led  progressive    people  to 
try    wood    and    coal   heat    in    beds    otherwise 
similarly  constructed.     The  heat  is  generated  in 
a  simple  furnace  at   the  lower  end  of  the  bed, 
and  distributed  by  an  ordinary  flue  beneath  the 
bed,  running   its  entire  length,  and  ending  in  a 
chimney  at  the  opposite  end.     To  promote  the 
equal   distribution   of   heat   under  the  soil,  the  flue  at  a  little 
distance    from    the  furnace    may   be  divided  in  two  or  three 


Fire  Hot-Beds. 

parallel  branches  or  pipes,  uniting  again  before  they  enter   the 
chimney. 

For  reasons  of  better  utilization  of  the  heat,  and  convenience 

of  management,  it  is  preferable  to  make  these  beds  intermediate 

between  hot-bed  and  common  greenhouse.     For  many  years  I 

have  had  such  beds  under  my  observation,  and  found  that  they 

(62) 


"Fire  Hot-Beds.— 63 

can  be  run  very  successfully  and  economically,  and  are  now 
run  so  in  many  places  for  forcing  lettuce,  radishes,  etc.,  followed 
by  egg  plant,  tomato,  pepper  or  sweet  potato  plants.  A  bed  of 
this  kind  is  shown  in  illustration  on  preceding  page  and  consists 
of  a  double  row  of  sashes  forming  a  gable  roof. 

The  propei  place  for  the  structure  is  near  the  cold  frames  or 
regular  hot-beds,  and  running  in  same  direction  of  compass.  A 
trench,  see  illustration,  is  excavated  in  centre  of  bed,  slanting 
from  the  surface  of  the  ground  where  it  is  nearly  as  wide 
as  the  bed,  to  the  bottom  where  it  need  not  be  over  half  that 
width.  The  furnace  end  should  be  on  lower  end  of  bed  and 
from  three  to  four  feet  deep.  From  there  the  flue  rises  gradually, 
say  one  foot  to  every  ten  in  length,  until  it  enters  the  chimney  at 
the  end  opposite  the  furnace. 

The  fire-place  may  be  constructed  of  fire-brick.  Its  height 
is  about  two  feet,  ten  inches  of  which  are  the  ash-pit  below  the 
grate ;  its  width  about  twelve  inches,  and  the  length  of  grate 
twenty-eight  or  thirty  inches.  The  bottom  of  the  flue  immediately 
in  the  rear  of  the  -furnace 

must  be   somewhat   above  ..--'"'    "~\. 

the  level  of  the  grate,  say 
6  or  8  inches,  to  prevent 
ashes  and  cinders  from 
getting  into  the  flues.  The 
first  8  or  10  feet  of  flue 
must  be  constructed  of 
brick  ;  the  remainder  may 
consist  of  terra-cotta  as  Trench  for  Fire  Hot-Bed, 

used    as    a   substitute   for 

brick  chimneys,  or  even  of  lo-inch  tile  drain.  The  chimney 
may  be  of  brick  or  of  terra-cotta,  whatever  the  builder  prefers. 
A  pit  immediately  in  front  of  the  fire-place,  to  the  depth  of 
bottom  of  ash-pit,  allows  the  operator  to  tend  the  fire,  and  when 
not  in  use,  is  kept  covered  by  a  slanting  door.  A  solid 
frame-work,  well  supported  underneath,  holds  a  floor  of  plank 
or  boards  for  the  soil,  and  a  frame  for  the  sashes  to  rest  upon. 
The  most  common  mistake  made  in  the  erection  of  a  fire 
hot-bed  is  right  in  this  frame-work.  Few  people  seem  to  bear  in 
mind  that  this  has  to  carry  a  considerable  weight,  and  being 
exposed  to  the  influence  of  constant  dampness,  is  liable  to  decay 
and  give  out  very  soon,  unless  the  timbers  are  strong,  well-put 
up,  and  of  a  kind  not  easily  affected  by  moisture.  The  whole 
arrangement  of  the  bed  is  so  simple  that  anybody  of  ordinary 
understanding  should  be  able  to  put  it  up  without  difficulty. 
The  gardener's  common  sense  will  dictate  to  him  the  details  not 
mentioned.  The  greatest  objection  to  a  hot-bed  of  this  kind — 
tendency  towards  dryness  of  atmosphere,  and  necessity  of  frequent 


64 — How  to  Make  the  Garden  Pay. 

watering — may  in  a  measure  be  overcome  by  placing  shallow 
pans  upon  the  flue  under  the  floor  of  bed,  and  keeping  them 
constantly  supplied  with  water. 

The  Michigan  Agricultural  College  has  recently  built  a  fire 
hot-bed  which  comprises  some  very  meritorious  features,  and  the 
description  given  by  C.  S.  Crandall  in  "  Popular  Gardening" 
well  deserves  a  place  here.  "  Our  fire  hot-bed,"  says  Mr.  Crandall, 
"  was  not  alone  a  hot-bed,  but  combined  a  small  forcing  house 
where  we  could  work  under  the  glass,  and  a  tool  room  twelve 
feet  square.  Depth  of  excavation,  and  position  of  furnace  is  indicated 
in  illustration.  The  hot-bed,  six  feet  by  sixty  feet,was  excavated  full 
width,  one  foot  deep  at  the  chimney  end  and  three  feet  at  the 


Length  Section  of  Fire  Hot-Bed. 

other,  and  was  fitted  with  frame  same  as  for  an  ordinary  bed. 
Then  narrowing  the  trench  to  two  and  one-half  feet,  it  was 
continued  twelve  feet  to  the  furnace,  where  it  was  lowered  six 
feet  from  the  surface,  and  continued  on  this  level  for  furnace 
bottom  and  tool  room  floor.  Seen  from  above,  the  excavation 
would  appear  as  in  next  figure. 

"  The  dotted  line  indicates  the  outline  of  forcing  house  portion. 
This  was  1 1  feet  wide.  The  outer  walls  consist  of  pieces  of  two 
by  four-inch  scantling  set  into  the  ground,  boarded  on  both 
sides,  and  the  top  capped  with  2  by  6-inch  scantling,  on  which 
the  rafters  and  sashes  rest.  These  walls  project  above  ground 
about  1 8  inches,  and  are  banked  to  the  top  on  the  outside  with 
earth.  Upright  pieces  of  scantling  placed  against  the  sides  of  the 


TOOL  ROOM 

t2  X  12  FT 


HOT  BED  6x60  FT. 


Ground  Plan  of  Fire  Hot-Bed. 

trench  served  as  supports  for  the  rafters.  Five  sashes  are  used  on 
each  side.  The  adjoining  tool  room  wall  formed  one  end,  the 
other  was  double-boarded  down  to  the  hot-bed  frame,  with  which 
it  was  connected. 


Fire  Hot-Beds.— 65 

"  The  trench  was  boarded  up  as  high  as  the  ground  level, 
and  the  bottom  floored  over,  a  few  inches  above  the  flue,  thus 
forming  a  passage  between  the  beds.  The  beds  were  covered 
with  boards,  and  on  these  were  placed  our  seed  and  plant  boxes. 
In  the  hot-bed  frame  the  floor  made  of  inch-boards  was  laid 
level,  being  close  down  to  the  flue  near  the  chimney  end,  and 
nearly  two  feet  above  it  at  the  other  end.  The  sides  were  ex- 
tended above  the  floor  14  inches  in  front  and  18  inches  at  the 
back,giving  slope  sufficient  to  carry  the  water  off  the  sashes. 
At  intervals  of  six  feet,  and  alternating  from  side  to  side,  spaces 
were  left  between  the  floor  and  the  sides  for  the  passage  of  warm 
air  to  the  plant  space  above. 

"  On  a  portion  of  this  floor  earth  was  placed  to  the  depth  of 
eight  inches,  and  some  seeds  sown  here,  but  nearly  all  our 
plants  were  started  in  the  forcing  house  in  boxes,  and  as  it  be- 
came crowded,  the  boxes  were  transferred  to  the  hot-beds,  placing 
the  tender  sorts  at  the  end  nearest  the  furnace,  but  cabbage  and 
similar  plants  near  the  chimney. 

"  The  tool  room,  used  also  for  the  storage  of  coal,  potting 
soil,  etc.,  was  walled  with  brick  and  covered  with  a  shingle  roof. 
The  furnace  was  built  of  brick.  A  frame  with  doors  to  fire  box 
and  ash  pit  formed  the  front,  and  was  set  even  with  the  inner  face 
of  the  tool  room  wall,  and  held  in  place  by  rods  built  into  the 
furnace  wall.  The  fire  box,  lined  with  fire  brick,  was  30  inches 
long,  15  inches  wide,  and  18  inches  high  in  the  centre.  The  ash 
pit,  8  inches  deep  below  the  grates,  had  same  width  and  length  as 
fire  box.  We  used  a  single  flue  of  6-inch  sewer  pipe  running 
straight  from  furnace  to  chimney.  This  was  supported  on  brick, 
four  inches  from  bottom  of  trench,  and  the  joints  were  made 
tight  with  fire  clay  and  mortar. 

"  On  starting  the  hot-bed  we  found  a  difficulty  in  the 
excessive  radiation  from  the  flue  joints  nearest  the  furnace. 
This  was  obviated  by  encasing  the  first  twelve  feet  in  an  outer 
brick  flue,  which  was  allowed  to  open  into  the  air  chamber  under 
the  hot-bed.  The  dryness  of  heat  obtained  by  this  method  of 
heating  renders  necessary  the  maintenance  of  pans  of  water  over 
the  furnace,  and  at  intervals  along  the  flue.  The  experience  of 
the  year  proved  so  clearly  the  utility  and  convenience  of  our 
forcing  house  that  we  removed  the  hot-bed  frame  and  converted 
the  whole  length  into  forcing  house,  excavating  full  width  of 
eleven  feet,  and  running  two  flues,  one  under  each  trench." 

"  Plants  can  be  successfully  grown  in  fire  hot-beds,  and  in 
many  cases  at  less  expense  than  in  manure-heated  beds.  For  a 
forcing  house,  such  as  I  have  spoken  of,  the  same  sashes,  the 
same  furnace  and  flues  required  for  a  hot-bed  can  be  used.  The 
only  difference  is  in  the  additional  lumber  necessary  for  the 
frame,  and  the  extra  labor  of  construction.  So  I  would  suggest 
5 


66— How  to  Make  the  Garden  Pay. 

to  anyone  contemplating  a  fire  hot-bed,  that  they  carefully 
calculate  the  cost  of  both  hot-bed  and  forcing  house,  and  then  do 
not  let  a  reasonable  difference  in  cost  prevent  them  from  choosing 
to  build  the  forcing  house.  Very  many  cheap  houses  of  this 
character,  varying  somewhat  in  construction,  according  to  the 
taste  and  means  of  the  owner,  are  built  every  year.  Their  utility 
has  been  demonstrated,  and  their  cost  is  within  the  means 
of  gardeners  who  now  depend  entirely  upon  hot-beds." 

I  have  given  this  detailed  description,  not  to  advise  the 
reader  to  build  exactly  in  the  same  way,  but  to  make  him 
acquainted  with  the  true  principles  underlying  the  construction 
and  management  of  fire  hot-beds  and  similar  structures,  general 
rules  which  he  will  be  wise  to  follow  pretty  closely  while  the 
arrangement  of  minor  details  can  be  left  to  his  individual  taste 
and  preferences. 

Fire  hot-beds  in  some  respects  are  undoubtedly  a  great 
improvement  on  the  old-style  manure  hot-beds.  Yet  I  believe 
there  is  still  room  for  further  improvement.  Hot-water  boiler 
and  pipes  may  yet  play  a  very  important  part  in  the  make-up  of 
the  hot-bed  of  the  future.  As  the  old  flue  had  to  give  way  to 
hot  water  and  steam  pipes  in  green-house  heating,  so  will  the 
fire  hot-bed  have  to  make  room  for  the  hot-bed  heated  by  hot 
water  or  steam.  Flues  will  have  to  go  ;  but  it  looks  to  me  that 
the  hot-bed  of  the  future  may  be  a  hot  house  or  forcing  pit,  and 
not  a  hot-bed  at  all.  But  whether  the  one  or  the  other,  now  that 
we  have  cheap  iron  furnaces,  some  of  them  self-feeders,  for  hot 
water  heating,  I  can  see  no  reason  why  the  flue  beds  with  their 
dry  heat  should  be  used.  Hot  water  gives  us  an  easily-controlled, 
uniform  and  altogether  unobjectionable  heat,  and  can  be  used 
with  perfect  safety,  and  for  any  purpose  of  forcing  and  plant- 
growing  with  far  less  attendance  than  afire  hot-bed  will  demand. 
The  hot-water  heating  system  has  the  further  advantage  that  it  dis- 
penses with  deep  trenches  under  the  beds  and  with  the  frame  work 
needed  for  fire  hot-beds,  which  is  so  liable  to  give  out  in  conse- 
quence of  the  supports  rotting  away.  The  only  excavation  worthy 
the  name  is  that  for  the  boiler  or  furnace,  while  the  pipes  can  be 
imbedded  one  foot  below  the  surface  of  the  hot-bed  soil,  or  other- 
wise arranged  in  the  same  way  as  will  be  described  for  the 
modern  forcing  house. 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

COLD   VEGETABLE    HOUSES. 

HOW   TO    BUILD   AND    HOW    TO    MANAGE   THEM. 
"Make  the  most  of  it." 

HE  management  of  cold  frames  for  forcing 
vegetables  naturally  involves  considerable  incon- 
venient outdoor  work  during  the  season  of  raw 
and  chilly  winds,  cold  rains  and  snows ;  and 
progressive  market  gardeners  have  sought  to 
relieve  themselves  of  the  unpleasant  job,  and  at 
the  same  time  of  a  part  of  the  real  hard  back- 
aching  work  connected  with  it,  by  the  substitution  of  plant 
houses  for  plant  beds.  Such  structures  which  afford  glass  pro- 
tection not  only  to  the  crops  but  also  to  those  who  work  among 
them,  have  recently  come  in  use  among  Eastern  market  garden- 
ers, especially  within  marketing  distance  of  the  large  cities  near 
the  Atlantic  Coast,  and  generally  give  entire  satisfaction  to  the 
owner,  not  only  with  respect  to  the  personal  convenience  of  doing 
the  work  in  them,  but  also  from  a  financial  standpoint.  Next  figure 
presents  a  full  view  of  a  house  of  this  kind — in  reality  nothing 
more  nor  less  than  a  piece  of  ground  covered  and  enclosed  by  a 
simple  frame-work  which  supports  a  roof  of  common  hot-bed 
sashes.  The  sun  rays  and  the  protection  that  the  glass  affords 
are  the  sole  reliance  of  the  grower  for  the  heat  needed  to  produce 
his  crops.  Such  houses,  of  course,  will  do  very  well  in  a  climate 
like  that  of  the  coast  section  from  New  York  city  southward ; 
but  where  the  winters  are  much  longer  and  severer,  and  clear  days 
less  the  rule  during  the  winter  months,  artificial  heat  will  prob- 
ably be  indispensable. 

The  construction  of  the  building  is  very  simple.  Each  side 
of  the  roof  consists  of  two  tiers  of  common  (3  by  6)  hot-bed 
sashes,  the  peak  being  8  feet  high,  making  the  building  about 
20  or  21  feet  in  width,  and  three  feet  for  every  four  sashes  in 
length.  The  sides  are  two  feet  high,  and  made  of  common  rough 
boards  (of  double  thickness  with  building  paper  between)  nailed 
from  the  inside  to  short  stakes  driven  into  the  ground  at  suitable 
intervals.  Banking  with  earth  nearly  up  to  where  the  sashes 
begin,  is  a  commendable  practice.  The  end  facing  south  or  east 
is  glass,  while  the  opposite  end  is  made  of  boards,  preferably  of 

(67) 


68 — How  to  Make  the  Garden  Pay. 


fe 

2 

'o 
U 


Cold  Vegetable  Houses. — 69 

double  thickness,  like  the  sides,  and  with  a  layer  of  building  paper 
between.  The  door  is  tightly  fitted  in  this  end.  A  row  of  stakes 
or  posts  capped  with  2  by  3  (or  3  by  3)  scantling  under  the 


Frame  of  Cold  Forcing  House. 

junction  of  the  two  tiers  of  sashes  on  each  side,  and  a  similar 
support  for  the  peak,  give  a  solid  foundation  for  the  rafters  and 
sashes,  and  a  cap  for  the  peak  completes  the  structure.  The 
frame  appears  as  shown  in  illustration.  The  sashes  are  fastened 
to  the  rafters  in  such  a  way  that  they  can  easily  be  taken 
off  to  be  stored  away  at  the  beginning  of  the  warm  season. 
Every  other  one  of  the  lower  tiers  should  be  arranged  so  that 
it  can  be  slid  down,  to  give  ventilation  as  required,  and  be  held 
in  place  by  a  simple  iron  button,  as  illustrated.  I  need 
hardly  say  that  it  is  of  greatest  importance  to  have  the  whole 
structure  snug  and  tight,  for  success  depends  mostly  on  the 
effective  retention  and  utilization  of  the  heat  accumulated.  As 
little  as  possible  of  it  should  be  allowed  to  escape. 

COST  OF  HOUSE. — One  of  my  former  neighbors  in  New  Jersey 
has  two  such  houses  in  successful  operation,  and  he  is  still  adding 
to  his  area  under  glass.  They  are  forty  sashes,  or  a  little  over 
1 20  feet,  in  length  each,  covering  at 
least  2.500  square  feet  of  tillable 
ground.  The  160  new  sashes  for 
each,  ready  for  use,  were  bought  for 
$300.  The  lumber  and  the  frames  STATIONARY  SASH 
and  glass  for  the  south  end  cost 
about  $  100,  and  figuring  the  labor  ot 
putting  up  at  another  $100  (in  the 
present  case  there  was  no  cash  out- 
lay connected  with  it,  as  the  owner 
and  his  help  did  all  the  work  them- 
selves): we  have  an  aggregate  expense  of  $500  for  each  building, 
or  $100  for  each  5  square  feet  of  tillable  ground.  The  cold-frame 


SLIDING  SASH. 


RAFTER 


70 — How  to  Make  the  Garden  Pay. 

system,  it  is  true,  gives  us  about  7  square  feet  of  glass-covered  area 
for  the  same  money,  but  considering  the  waste  space  (near  the  front 
side  of  frame  for  instance)  and  other  disadvantages,  the  difference 
in  cost  of  the  working  surface  is  hardly  worth  mentioning.  The 
forcing  house,  on  the  other  hand,  gives  us  a  comfortable  place  to 
work  in,  a  chance  to  work  to  best  advantage  in  a  natural  position, 
instead  of  lying  over  the  beds  on  our  stomachs,  and  to  work  on 
days  when  the  weather  would  not  permit  keeping  the  beds  exposed, 
or  working  outdoors  without  great  inconvenience.  Considering 
all  the  points — the  chances  for  continuous  cropping,  the  full  utili- 
zation of  all  available  space,  the  ease  of  management,  and  the 
convenient  method  of  planting,  sowing,  weeding,  etc.,  and  the 
satisfaction  generally  which  it  affords — I  do  not  hesitate  to  pro- 
nounce the  house  a  model  of  cheapness  and  convenience.  It 
may  not  economize  the  heat  as  well  as  if  built  lower,  and  in  the 
shape  of  the  heated  forcing  houses  described  in  next  chapter, 
yet  its  shape  is  preferable  for  many  reasons.  Comfort,  conveni- 
ence, avoidance  of  backache,  etc.,  are  worth  as  much  to  the 
gardener  as  to  people  in  other  pursuits  of  life.  The  satisfaction 
which  the  possession  of  such  a  house  affords  is  alone  worth  a 
good  deal.  There  are  people  of  means  who  would  rather  have  a 
more  costly  and  more  elaborate  affair.  These  when  intending 
to  build  a  forcing  house,  should  consult  agricultural  architects, 
and  the  catalogues  of  manufacturers  of  greenhouses  and  green- 
house supplies.  I  have  no  advice  for  them.  The  house  which 
I  have  described  will  also  be  suitable  for  localities  with  longer 
and  colder  winters,  but  it  will  need  artificial  heating,  and  this  can 
easily  be  provided  by  putting  in  a  furnace  and  a  system  of  hot- 
water  or  steam  pipes.  Two  one-inch  steam,  or  two-inch  hot- 
water  pipes  around  the  sides  and  south  end  will  probably  give  all 
the  heat  required  for  the  purpose  of  forcing  hardy  vegetables. 

GROWING  THE  CROPS. — The  cold  house  being  put  up  and 
ready  for  use  by  the  first  of  November  or  December,  the  whole 
tillable  ground  is  made  very  rich  by  the  free  application  of  fine 
compost,  thoroughly  spaded  or  forked  in,  with  perhaps  an  addi- 
tional top  dressing  of  composted  and  thoroughly  fined  hen 
manure.  If  the  soil  is  of  a  clayey  nature,  and  the  compost  does 
not  make  it  sufficiently  porous,  spread  a  few  loads  of  sand  over 
it,  and  mix  the  whole  by  spading  or  forking  over.  The  gardener 
can  afford  to  prepare  the  ground  well,  for  his  2,500  square  feet 
are  calculated  to  give  larger  returns  in  cash  than  a  hundred  times 
that  area  of  farming  land  can  be  expected  to  do.  The  first  crop 
to  be  grown,  same  as  in  cold-frame  forcing,  is  spinach.  The  rows 
are  marked  off  8  or  9  inches  apart  crosswise  of  the  house,  and 
the  seed  sown  in  the  usual  way,  leaving  a  path  through  the 
centre  from  door  (at  north  end)  to  rear.  Watering  should  be 


Cold  Vegetable  Houses. — 71 

attended  to  when  needed,  and  whenever  done  should  be 
thorough,  so  as  not  to  require  over-frequent  repetition.  In  theory 
the  plants  are  to  be  thinned  to  2  inches  apart  in  the  rows.  In 
practice  they  are  usually  left  to  grow  as  they  come  up ;  and  with 
good  seed,  a  thorougly  prepared,  almost  perfect  seed-bed,  and 
the  water  supply  under  entire  control,  the  gardener  can  sow 
thinly  enough  that  the  plants  will  not  be  unduly  crowding  each 
other,  and  yet  cover  the  entire  space — for  this  latter,  as  in  cold 
frame  management,  must  be  the  foremost  aim.  Stimulate  the 
growth  by  all  legitimate  means,  give  ventilation  when  needed, 
and  generally  treat  like  plants  in  cold  frames.  Cut,  barrel  and 
market  the  stuff  when  the  demand  is  brisk,  and  prices  good. 

Towards  the  end  of  February,  or  early  in  March,  every  spot 
cleared  from  spinach  is  at  once  prepared  for  the  next  crop,  which 
may  be  lettuce  and  radishes.  These  vegetables  are  planted,  and 
generally  handled  and  marketed  same  as  if  grown  in  cold  frames, 
always  bearing  in  mind  that  they  should  stand  thick  enough  to 
cover  and  utilize  every  available  inch  of  space,  yet  without  undue 
crowding.  On  this  point  hinges  the  measure  of  success.  And 
don't  forget  the  early  thinning  of  the  radishes  to  two  inches 
apart.  Boston  Market  lettuce  is  yet  a  general  favorite  for  glass 
culture.  Of  radishes,  the  early  round  varieties,  especially  Ear- 
liest Scarlet  Erfurt,  Round  Dark  Red,  Maule's  Earliest  Scarlet, 
etc.,  can  justly  be  recommended  for  this  purpose.  All  these, 
under  stimulating  treatment,  can  be  put  in  market  in  between 
four  and  six  weeks  from  the  time  of  sowing,  so  that  the  house, 
wholly  or  in  part,  will  be  ready  for  another  crop  early  in  April. 
This  next  crop  may  be  cucumbers,  egg  plants,  tomatoes,  or  what- 
ever promises  to  give  best  returns  at  the  time  of  maturity.  Cu- 
cumbers (Long  Green  or  White  Spine)  are  usually  the  crop 
selected.  They  are  planted  in  hills  five  feet  apart  each  way,  leav- 
ing two  or  three  plants  per  hill,  soon  cover  the  entire  area  with 
thrifty  and  generally  healthy  vines,  and  produce  cucumbers  a 
number  of  weeks  in  advance  of  the  earliest  grown  in  open  air, 
hence  at  a  time  when  they  always  bring  a  good  price.  When  the 
vines  begin  to  bloom,  the  sashes  are  removed,  first  partly  during 
the  day,  then  entirely  both  day  and  night,  so  that  insects  have 
all  the  chances  needed  to  fertilize  (pollenize)  the  fruit  blossoms, 
and  the  gardener  has  no  need  of  using  artificial  means  for  the 
transfer  of  the  pollen  to  the  embryo  fruit. 

If  tomatoes  or  egg  plants  are  the  crop  selected,  the  aim  must 
be  the  same  as  with  a  cucumber  crop,  namely,  to  get  the  fruit 
into  a  willing  market  a  few  weeks  sooner  than  competition  from 
outdoor  growers  begins,  thus  getting  the  benefit  of  consumers' 
sharpened  appetites  and  readiness  to  pay  a  remunerative  price 
for  the  product.  The  Lorillard  and  Dwarf  Champion  tomatoes 
are  probably  superior  sorts  for  this  purpose.  They  can 


72 — How  to  Make  the  Garden  Pay. 

be  planted  reasonably  close — 2J^  to  3  feet  each  way — and 
should  be  trimmed  to  single  stalk,  and  trained  to  stakes  or 
strings.  The  King  of  the  Earlies,  the  earliest  market  tomato  for 
outdoor  culture,  although  some  of  our  best  market  gardeners 
claim  it  to  be  the  most  profitable  to  grow,  is  so  very  poor  that  I 
hesitate  to  recommend  it.  Placing  such  stuff  on  the  market  in 
advance  of  the  regular  season  must  have  a  tendency  to  disgust 
consumers  with  the  fruit  of  the  tomato  vine  from  the  very  start, 
and  to  make  them  use  less  of  it  than  they  would  if  the  first  taste 
were  wholly  satisfactory.  The  removal  of  the  sashes  at  the 
proper  time,  as  in  the  other  case,  will  give  the  dry  atmosphere 
needed  for  *'  fruit  setting." 

PROCEEDS  FROM  SEASON'S  WORK. — Some  of  my  readers  will 
desire  to  have  some  estimate  of  the  money  that  can  be  realized 
from  the  various  crops  produced  during  one  season  in  a  building 
as  described,  and  covering  2,500  square  feet. 

The  spinach  crop,  if  well  grown,  should  not  be  less  than  30 
barrels.  I  have  seen  40  barrels  taken  off  a  cold  house  of  this 
size,  and  am  sure  that  50  can  be  grown  easily  enough. 
To  be  on  the  safe  side  we  call  it  30  barrels.  Late  in 
February,  or  early  in  March,  it  usually  brings  from  $2.00  to  $3.50 
at  wholesale  in  the  New  York  City  market.  If  it  nets  the  grower 
$3.00  the  crop  gives  him  $90.00.  Next  comes  the  radish  crop, 
consisting  of  at  least  5,000  bunches,  netting  2  cents  each,  or 
$100.00  in  the  aggregate.  Lettuce,  if  grown  instead  of  the 
radishes,  wholly  or  in  part,  will  bring  approximately  the  same 
figure.  The  cucumber  (or  tomato)  crop  may  add  $75.00  more 
to  the  net  proceeds,  which  sum  up  as  follows,  viz. : 

Spinach,  30  barrels,  at  $3.00  $  go  oo 

Radishes,  5,000  bunches,  at  2  cents,  100  oo 

Cucumbers,  75  °° 

Total  net  proceeds,  $265  oo 

Deducting  from  this  sum  the  amount  of  interest  on  invest- 
ment, with  $35.00,  and  legitimate  wear  and  tear,  with  $30.00,  or 
$65.00  in  all,  we  have  for  our  season's  work  in  the  one  cold  house 
the  net  amount  of  $200.00.  In  most  cases  the  proceeds  will  be 
larger,  since  I  have  purposely  put  the  returns  low  enough,  and 
the  expenses  high  enough,  in  order  to  be  on  the  safe  side  in 
either  direction. 

I  will  only  add  that  the  cold  forcing  house  as  here  described, 
is  a  contrivance  which  gives  the  gardener  an  opportunity  for 
employment  at  very  fair  paying  rates  during  a  time  of  more  or 
less  enforced  idleness,  thus  also  enabling  him  to  keep  a  good 
hired  man,  if  he  has  such,  permanently  the  year  round,  instead  of 
discharging  all  hands  at  the  beginning  of  winter,  and  beginning 
with  an  entirely  new  set  of  raw  hands  next  spring. 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

FORCING  HOUSES  OR  PITS. 

SIMPLE,   SENSIBLE   STRUCTURES,  SUCCESSFULLY    MANAGED. 

COST,   CONSTRUCTION,    ETC. 
"  What  you  do,  do  with  your  might." 

'OW  that  I  have  told  the  reader  in  one  of  the 
preceding  chapters  how  to  construct  and  manage 
hot-beds,  I  go  a  step  further,  and  advise  him  not 
to  build  them.  When  any  one  wants  hot-beds  for 
use  in  commercial  plant  and  vegetable  growing, 
let  him  build  the  more  convenient,  more  econom- 
ically managed,  and  more  controllable  hot-houses 
or  rather  forcing  pits,  which  in  reality  are  some- 
what intermediate  between  hot-bed  and  hot-house,  and  now  in 
use  by  some  of  our  leading  market  gardeners.  Of  elaborate, 
fancy,  and  therefore  expensive  structures,  I  shall  not  speak. 
Cheapness  in  construction  of  his  buildings  and  in  their  operation 
must  always  be  a  leading  consideration  with  the  average  market 
gardener,  but  he  can  combine  quite  a  large  element  of  conven- 
ience and  comfort  with  it.  If  he  values  convenience  sufficiently 
to  forego  for  its  sake  slight  advantages  of  economy,  the  cold 
house,  which  I  have  previously  described  as  "  a  model  of  cheap- 
ness and  convenience,"  can  easily  be  arranged  for  a  forcing 
house  as  already  suggested.  When  run  as  a  regular  hot-house, 
for  forcing  lettuce,  strawberries,  cucumbers,  tomatoes,  etc., 
during  the  winter,  more  heat  and  conseqently  more  piping  or 
greater  boiler  capacity  will  be  required  than  if  used  merely  as 
related  for  the  cold  house,  but  for  the  purposes  of  propagating 
and  plant  growing,  it  will  certainly  be  preferable  to  have  the 
whole  system  of  heating  pipes  underground,  in  order  to  warm 
the  soil  somewhat  in  the  congenial  fashion  of  the  manure  hot- 
bed. In  growing  plants  for  sale,  we  consider  the  root  the  chief 
part,  and  for  root  development  bottom  heat  is  essential.  With 
lettuce  and  spinach,  and  all  the  other  forcing  crops  except  rad- 
ishes, the  grower  wants  top,  and  is  not  in  the  least  concerned 
about  the  root,  and  in  that  case  he  will  prefer  to  let  the  heat 
come  upon  his  plants  from  above,  in  the  natural  way.  It  is  a 
general  principle  that  bottom  heat  favors  root  growth,  heat  from 
above  top  growth,  and  we  must  make  our  arrangements  in  accor- 
dance with  the  intended  use  of  the  forcing  house. 

(73) 


74 — How  to  Make  the  Garden  Pay. 

Economy  and  absolute  safety  will  always  be  the  weightiest 
considerations  with  market  gardeners.  I  think  the  great  merits 
or  advantages  of  the  hot-houses  or  forcing  pits  in  use,  for  instance, 
by  my  friend,  Mr.  Theo.  F.  Baker,  of  Cumberland  County,  N.  J., 
and  of  the  similar  structure  erected  by  Mr.  R.  Bingham,  of  Cam- 
den,  N.  J.,  will  be  readily  appreciated  by  every  reader,  and  give 
many  of  them  a  clue  to  the  satisfactory  solution  of  the  problem  : 
How  shall  I  build  a  hot-house  ? 

THE  MODEL  FORCING  PIT. — A  sectional  view  of  the  most 
sensible  forcing  pit  yet  constructed  is  here  presented,  the  great- 
est difference  in  outward  appearance  between  it  and  the  cold- 
house  shown  on  page  68,  being  in  the  arrangement  of  the  sashes. 
In  the  cold-house,  as  described,  the  four  tiers  of  sashes  form  a 
single  roof  and  a  single  building,  while  the  sash  arrangement  in 


Market  Gardener's  Forcing  Pit — Sectional  View. 

our  forcing  pit  divides  the  house  in  two  sections  lengthwise, 
making,  we  might  say,  two  parallel  buildings  of  it,  the  roof  of 
each  being  formed  by  two  single  tiers  of  sashes.  In  the  former 
we  had  a  pathway  in  the  centre  of  house,  ami  an  opportunity  to 
walk  all  over,  and  work  upon  the  beds.  The  forcing  pit,  on  the 
other  hand,  has  two  alleys  or  walks  (AA),  one  under  the  centre 
of  each  roof,  dug  into  the  ground  1 8  inches  wideband  18  inches 
deep ;  and  standing  in  these  the  operator,  reaching  over  to  each 
side,  in  same  way  as  in  any  green-house,  manipulates  the  beds 
and  plants.  The  sides  of  the  alleys  are  either  walled  or  boarded 
up.  The  beds  or  "  benches,"  as  in  the  cold-house,  are  even  with 
the  surface  of  the  ground,  but  the  glass  is  pretty  close  to  them, 
as  the  peak  of  the  roofs  is  only  4^  feet  above  the  level  of  the 
ground,  and  consequently  6  feet  from  the  bottom  of  the  alleys. 
The  sashes  should  be  7  or  75^  feet  long,  and  of  any  convenient 
width,  although  the  common  size  of  hot-bed  sash  (3  by  6)  might 


Forcing  Houses  or  Pits. — 75 

be  made  to  answer.  Large-sized  glass  is  preferable,  say  12  by 
1 6  inches.  The  sides,  consisting  of  boards  nailed  to  stakes, 
double  if  possible  and  banked  up,  are  only  one  foot  from  level 
of  ground  to  eaves.  The  width  of  the  whole  double  structure  is 
26  feet.  In  the  centre,  at  B,  where  the  two  roof  sections  meet, 
the  sashes  rest  on  a  plate  or  plank  2  inches  thick  and  12  inches 
wide,  gathered  out  ^  by  8  inches  to  catch  and  carry  off  the 
water,  and  these  centre  planks,  as  shown  in  engraving,  rest  upon 


Centre  Plank  and  Support. 

two  rows  of  2  by  3  inch  posts,  2^4  feet  long  and  12  inches  above 
the  beds.     These  posts  in  each  row  are  4  feet  apart. 

METHODS  OF  HEATING  THE  PIT. — -The  old  method  of 
heating  by  means  of  a  brick  (or  similar)  flue  has  a  slight  saving 
in  the  expense  of  construction  in  its  favor,  but  it  requires  a 
much  greater  running  expense,  especially  in  the  items  of  fuel  and 
attendance.  Hot-water  and  steam  heating  give  us  superior 
advantages  for  the  one  single  drawback  of  greater  cost  of  con- 
struction, to  such  an  extent,  indeed,  that  the  gardener  who  lays 
the  least  claim  to  progressiveness,  has  only  his  choice  between 
the  hot-water  and  the  steam  system.  While  the  battle 
between  the  advocates  of  hot  water  and  those  of  steam  is  still 
raging,  I  can  state  it  as  a  fact,  that  either  method  may  be  made 
use  of  with  perfect  success.  Florists  and  gardeners  who  work 
on  a  very  extensive  scale,  and  can  afford  to  employ  a  night 
watchman,  generally  favor  the  steam  system,  and  claim  that  it 


76 — How  to  Make  the  Garden  Pay. 

not  only  saves  fuel,  but  also  gives  the  operator  better  control  of 
the  heat,  since  there  is  but  very  little  of  it  stored  up  in  the  cir- 
culation ;  but  nearly  everybody  admits  that  hot  water  is  prefer- 
able for  small  houses,  especially  on  account  of  safety,  the  pipes 
distributing  heat  just  as  long  as  the  water  in  the  boiler  is  hot, 
whether  actually  boiling  or  not.  From  the  standpoint  of  the 
average  market  gardener,  who  has  but  a  few  thousand  square 
feet  under  glass  at  most,  I  have  no  objection  to  the  heat  stored 
up  in  circulation  by  the  hot-water  system,  especially  since  any 
objection  can  be  partly  if  not  wholly  met  by  the  insertion  of  a 
single  stop-cock  into  the  pipes  at  any  place.  This  gives  the 
operator  power  over  the  circulation.  When  the  temperature  "in 
the  house  is  getting  up  higher  than  it  is  desired,  the  circulation 
can  at  once  be  interrupted  by  turning  the  stop- cock,  and  the 
whole  pipe  system  will  cool  off,  although  not  as  fast  as  in  steam 
heating,  yet  fast  enough  for  the  purpose.  The  advocates  of 
steam  always  talk  as  if  the  whole  heat  supply  of  the  boiler  had 
to  be  exhausted  before  the  pipes  could  be  cooled  off,  while  the 
use  of  the  simple  expedient  spoken  of  really  leaves  the  differ- 
ence between  the  heat  stored  up  in  the  circulation  of  the  one  and 
that  in  the  other  system  very  inconsiderable. 

My  own  preference  is  for  hot  water;  but  the  use  of  a  large 
boiler  with  low  pressure  will  render  steam  heating  also  perfectly 
safe  and  probably  satisfactory ;  only  be  sure  to  have  the  boiler 
low  enough,  the  chimney  high  enough,  and  the  pipes  at  such 
gradual  inclination  from  the  boiler  upwards,  that  the  condensed 
water  will  freely  return  to  the  boiler  and  not  accumulate  in  any 
part  of  the  pipes.  If  the  latter  is  the  case,  the  trouble  makes 
itself  known  by  what  is  generally  termed  "hammering,"  which  is 
a  sound  repeated  at  regular  intervals  somewhat  like  that  made  by 
striking  a  hard  article  against  the  pipe.  The  use  of  steam 
also  involves  a  smaller  outlay  than  that  of  hot  water,  since  one- 
inch  pipes  will  do,  and  are  often  preferred  for  the  one  system, 
while  two-inch  pipes  are  usually  considered  the  smallest  suitable 
for  the  other. 

The  boilers  used  for  steam  heating  are  generally  bought 
second-hand,  of  four  or  five-horse  power,  such  as  have  faithfully 
served  for  high  pressure,  and  are  condemned  for  that  purpose. 
Hot-water  and  steam  furnaces  and  boilers  of  any  desired  size, 
from  the  simple  self-feeding,  base-burning  water  heater,  to  that 
for  heating  buildings  covering  many  thousands  of  square  feet, 
may  be  bought  at  reasonable  figures  from  manufacturing  firms 
who  make  a  specialty  of  them,  as  Hitchings  &  Co.,  of  New 
York  City,  and  others. 

MR.  BAKER'S  METHOD  OF  HEATING. — Mr.  Baker's  forcing 
pit  is  constructed  on  the  plan  given  on  page  74,  26  feet  wide  by 


Forcing  Houses  or  Pits. — 77 

100  feet  in  length.  The  boiler  is  a  second-hand  four  or  five- 
horse  power,  and  at  an  outside  temperature  of  zero  has  to  carry 
about  5  pounds  of  steam  in  order  to  maintain  a  temperature  of  65 
to  70  degrees  inside.  Two-inch  pipes  conduct  the  heat  from 
the  boiler,  one  line  of  pipe  running  up  on  each  side  of  the  house, 
and  both  returning  through  the  centre  back  to  the  boiler.  The 
furnace  room  is  an  excavation  10  feet  by  12  feet,  and  6  feet  deep 
at  the  north  or  northwest  end  of  the  house,  walled  up  or  cemented, 
and  covered  with  a  roof.  Length  of  pipe  required  is  450  feet. 
The  entire  cost  of  a  structure  of  these  dimensions,  boiler  and 
pipes  included,  amounts  to  $450  for  the  material,  to  which  the 
cost  of  steam-fitting  by  a  plumber  will  have  to  be  added.  Any 
man  of  ordinary  intelligence  can  do  all  the  rest  of  the  work  on 
the  house. 

For  the  purpose  of  vegetable  forcing,  the  pipes  are  laid  all 
above  ground,  as  shown  at  E  and  B  page  74.  If  wanted  for 
starting  seedlings,  and  for  general  propagating  purposes,  how- 
ever, the  pipe  had  better  be  placed  from  10  to  12  inches  under  the 


Mr.  Bingham's  Method  of  Heating. 

surface,  encased  in  an  ordinary  3-inch  drain  tile,  as  shown  at  D, 
or  perhaps  still  better  in  the  manner  employed  in  Mr.  Bingham's 
house,  and  shown  on  this  page.  Mr.  Baker  tells  me  that  he  has 
been  most  successful  in  growing  lettuce,  radishes  and  such  vege- 
tables by  running  the  pipes  above  the  benches,  fastened  to  the 
outside  posts,  and  in  the  centre  the  same  way,  thus  heating  the 
air  and  letting  it  warm  up  the  soil  in  Nature's  own  way,  rather 
than  drive  out  the  moisture  by  bottom  heat,  which  he  thinks  is 
the  chief  cause  of  "  damping  off"  and  of  mildew. 

MR.  BINGHAM'S  METHOD  OF  HEATING. — The  house  here 
shown  is  constructed  exactly  like  the  one  shown  and  described 
on  page  74,  but  1 24  feet  in  length.  The  paths  or  alleys  A  A  are 
somewhat  narrower  so  that  the  outside  benches  are  5  feet 
8  inches  in  width.  The  boiler  is  second-handed,  with  upright 
flues  and  iQ-inch  grate,  rated  four-horse  power.  The  direct  heat 
from  the  furnace  is  perfectly  utilized  by  means  of  an  under- 


78 — How  to  Make  the  Garden  Pay. 

ground  terra-cotta  flue  C,  10  inch  diameter,  which  runs  from  the 
boiler  room  to  the  smoke  stack  B  at  the  north  end.  The  steam 
pipes  are  placed  from  18  inches  to  6  inches  under  the  centre 
of  each  bench,  as  shown  in  D  D  D  D,  resting  on  a  concrete  and 
covered  with  a  5 -inch  horse-shoe  tile.  The  concrete  is  made 
of  one  part  Portland  cement  and  5  parts  gravel,  laid  two  feet 
wide  and  two  inches  in  thickness.  Two  lines  of  I-  or  i^-inch 
pipe  under  each  bench  would  be  an  improvement,  but  the  heat 
radiation  is  good,  and  the  surface  of  the  benches  warmed  pretty 
uniformly,  certainly  much  more  so  than  by  Mr.  Baker's  plan  of 
simply  encasing  the  2-inch  pipe  with  a  3-inch  tile.  With  the 
hot-water  system  the  distance  of  underground  pipes  from  the 
surface  should  be  more  uniform,  but  a  double  line  of  pipes  in 
this  case  is  still  more  desirable. 

While  theory  and  the  opinion  of  expert  growers  gives 
preference  to  heating  from  above  ground  for  forcing  purposes, 
Mr.  Bingham  has,  practically,  most  excellent  success  with  the 
underground  system.  "The  ground  is  thoroughly  warmed 
several  inches  deep,"  says  Mr.  B.,  "  and  retains  the  heat  much 
better  than  the  air,  which  comes  in  contact  with  the  cold  glass. 
By  keeping  our  source  of  heat  lower,  we  get  a  much  larger  per 
cent,  of  its  value  than  by  air-heating  systems.  Theoretically  we 
claim  to  save  50  per  cent,  of  heat  which  is  wasted  by  other  plans, 
and  our  trial  has  practically  proved  it."  This  is  a  matter  yet 
open  for  investigation  ;  but  in  the  meantime  it  will  be  advisable 
to  place  the  pipes  in  the  cheaper,  handier  and  entirely  safe  way 
in  use  in  Mr.  Baker's  forcing  houses,  when  the  house  is 
intended  chiefly  or  wholly  for  forcing  vegetables.  There  is  no 
objection,  however,  to  introducing  the  underground  system  for  one 
of  the  benches,  as  shown  at  D,  page  74,  mainly  for  plant  growing 
and  propagating  purposes,  as  also  to  try  forcing  for  the  com- 
parison of  results  between  the  two  systems. 

Provision  has  to  be  made  for  ventilation.  The  simplest 
method  consists  in  hinging  every  alternate  outside  sash,  so  that  it 
can  be  lifted,  or  in  arranging  it  as  explained  for  the  cold  plant 
house,  allowing  every  alternate  outside  sash  to  slide  down  or  be 
removed  entirely.  Mr.  Bingham's  house  is  also  constructed  in 
such  a  way  that  the  caps,  rafters  and  sashes  can  be  entirely  taken 
off*  during  the  warm  season,  and  stored  in  a  convenient  place 
under  shelter.  At  the  approach  of  another  forcing  season,  the 
benches  can  thus  be  enriched  and  otherwise  prepared  for 
cropping  as  easily  and  conveniently  as  beds  in  the  open  ground. 

I  do  not  think  that  a  simpler,  cheaper,  and  safer  forcing  house 
could  be  conceived  than  one  built  on  the  same  general  principles 
here  described.  It  combines  the  best  features  of  the  hot-bed  and 
the  greenhouse,  and  will  tend  to  elevate  the  undertaking  of 
growing  vegetables  and  plants  during  the  winter  and  early  spring 


Forcing  Houses  or  Pits. — 79 

from  drudgery  to  be  dreaded  to  a  pastime  and  pleasure.  The 
cost  of  heating  a  house  of  this  kind  is  inconsiderable — a  few 
tons  of  coal  go  a  great  ways,  and  the  management  of  the  furnace 
is  so  simple  that  any  boy  can  tend  it.  The  vegetable  crops  are 
grown  in  the  same  way  as  described  for  the  hot-beds.  Lettuce 
is  the  first  crop,  and  can  be  gotten  ready  for  market  from 
Christmas  on.  This  is  followed  by  radishes,  or  any  other 
vegetable  which  the  market  may  usually  call  for,  or  by  straw- 
berries, and  perhaps  later  on,  by  egg-plants,  tomatoes,  peppers, 
etc.  Boston  Market,  a  strain  of  Tennis  Ball,  is  yet  considered 
the  safest  lettuce  variety  for  early  winter  forcing.  Mildew  and 
aphis  (or  green  louse)  are  the  two  dreaded  enemies  of  the  crop, 
and  must  be  fought  with  the  means  named  in  the  chapter  on 
"  Insects  and  Plant  Diseases," 


CHAPTER  XV. 

EARLY  PLANTS  FOR  THE  HOME   GARDEN. 

VARIOUS    MEANS    AND    DEVICES    FOR     EVERYBODY. 
"A  will — a  way." 

|OR  the  average-sized  kitchen  garden  only  a 
comparatively  very  small  number  of  early  plants 
are  needed,  so  few,  indeed,  that  people  often 
come  to  the  conclusion  it  is  cheaper  to  buy 
them  than  to  raise  them,  especially  when  plants 
are  to  be  had  as  cheap  as  they  are  now.  Yet  we 
cannot  always,  nor  even  often,  get  what  we  want. 
Professional  plant-growers  frequently  are  very 
careless  about  the  seeds  they  sow.  The  plants  are  for  sale,  and 
a  tomato  plant  will  sell,  if  well  grown,  no  matter  what  fruit  it 
will  produce  afterwards.  So  in  the  purchase  of  plants  we 
always  run  a  risk,  and  at  best  have  to  deal  with  uncertainties. 
Then  we  may  wish  to  try  a  new  tomato,  or  pepper,  or  egg- 
plant, etc.,  and  plants  of  high-priced  novelties  cannot  often  be 
purchased.  Furthermore,  while  poor  plants,  grown  in  crowded 
hot-beds,  and  consisting  of  much  stalk  and  little  root,  are 
abundant  and  cheap,  really  first-class,  well-grown,  well-rooted 
and  well-hardened  plants  are  generally  rare,  always  dear,  and 
often  not  on  sale.  Take  it  on  the  whole,  therefore,  I  think 
every  home  gardener  who  takes  the  least  interest  in  his  garden, 
will  of  necessity  have  to  dabble  in  the  business  of  plant  growing. 
He  can  go  at  it  in  a  variety  of  ways. 

Where  a  sunny  kitchen  window  is  at  disposal  for  the 
purpose,  some  tomato,  pepper  and  egg-plants  can  easily  be 
started  in  a  box  or  in  boxes  placed  in  front  of  it,  as  shown  in 
illustration.  A  common  soap  box,  obtained  from  the  nearest 
grocer  will  furnish  material  for  two  or  three  such  boxes.  Suitable 
soil  is  prepared  by  mixing  one-third  of  well-rotted  compost  and 
two-thirds  sandy  loam  or  rich  garden  soil,  and  of  course  it  should 
be  got  in  readiness  in  the  autumn  before  the  ground  freezes.  The 
boxes  are  filled  with  this  nearly  to  the  top,  and  the  seeds  sowed 
thinly  in  shallow  furrows.  Each  variety  should  be  plainly  labelled, 
or  the  name  written  on  outside  of  box  facing  each  row.  Sift  a 
little  sandy  loam,  leaf  mould  or  pulverized  dried  peat  moss  upon 
the  seeds,  pat  it  down  gently  to  firm  the  seed,  then  water  with 
(80) 


Early  Plants  for  the  Home  Garden. — 81 

hot  water  from  a  fine  rose  sprinkler,  and  as  often  afterwards  with 
tepid  water  as  the  soil  becomes  dry,  and  needs  it.  Thus  treated 
the  young  plants  should  make  their  appearance  in  about  a  week's 
time.  A  few  cabbage,  cauliflower  and  lettuce  plants  may  be 
grown  in  a  similar  way,  but  the  box  should  be  set  in  a  colder 
room,  or  in  a  less  sunny  exposure.  It  generally  falls  to  the  lot 
of  the  good  housewife  to  care  for  such  plant  boxes,  and  in  most 
cases  she  will  enjoy  the  task.  The  chief  aim  must  be  to  make 
the  plants  strong  and  stocky  by  giving  each  sufficient  space,  and 
thin  out  the  surplus  at  an  early  stage  of  development.  Tall, 
over-grown  things  are  not  desirable.  Where  there  is  sufficient 
window  room,  and  if  possible,  any  way,  the  plants  should  be 
transplanted  once  or  twice,  and  more  space  given  at  each  time. 
Nothing  is  more  servicable  than  empty  tomato  cans  (with  a  hole 
punched  in  the  bottom)  for  setting 
in  tomato  and  egg  plants,  one  in 
each,  from  there  to  be  trans- 
planted to  the  open  ground. 
The  true  lover  of  a  good  garden, 
and  the  man  who  has  a  large 
family  to  supply  with  vegetables, 
will  sorely  miss  the  convenience 
and  aid  of  a  hot-bed,  and  the  best 
thing  for  him  to  do  is  to  invest 
the  amount  of  $4.00  or  $6.00 
in  sashes,  and  put  up  a  little 
frame.  The  excavation  may  be 
made  for  only  one-half  or  two- 
thirds  of  the  bed,  if  this  is  three 
sashes  in  size,  so  that  a  part  of  it 
is  managed  as  hot-bed,  and  the 
other  as  cold  frame.  Plants  must 
be  ranged  according  to  their 
degree  of  tenderness,  and  begin- 
ning at  the  hot-bed  end,  as  fol- 
lows :  egg-plant,  pepper;  tomato,  cauliflower,  cabbage  and  lettuce; 
and  ventilation  given  more  freely  and  frequently  on  the  cold 
frame  side  than  on  the  other.  For  directions  as  to  general 
management  I  can  only  refer  the  reader  to  Chapters  X  and  XL 
The  well-to-do  home  gardener  who  can  afford  to  spend  a 
little  time  and  money  for  the  privilege  of  running  a  miniature 
green-house  or  forcing  pit,  which  will  not  only  give  him  an 
abundance  of  plants  such  as  he  may  desire,  but  also  a  chance  to 
raise  a  few  nice,  crisp  vegetables  in  the  winter  months,  may 
construct  a  building,  answering  one  of  the  two  sections  of  the 
forcing  pit  described  in  preceding  chapter.  Such  structure  is 
here  shown,  and  will  need  no  detailed  explanation.  Hot  water 
(6) 


Plant  Box  in  Window. 


82 — How  to  Make  the  Garden  Pay. 


will  be  found  the  proper  method  of  heating,  and  a  base-burning 
water  heater  that  manufacturers  furnish  for  from  $25.00  upwards, 
will  do  good  service. 

The  people  of  Hammonton,  New  Jersey,  use  a  boiler  of  this 
kind  for  heating  the  brooders  in  their  chicken  houses,  and  it  may 
be  arranged  ^^O^HU^. 

somewhat  in 
the  same  man- 
ner, and  as 
shown  in  next 
figure.  When 
the  house  is 
all  made  snug 
and  tight,  and 
where  winters  ;|j 
are  not  ex- 
ceedingly 
severe,  it 
seems  that  a 
single  pipe  for 
each  bench,  Amateur  Green-House. 

either  in  an  air-chamber  under  it  to  provide  bottom  heat,  or  near 
the  outside  would  be  fully  sufficient. 

To  make  the  arrangement  perfectly  clear,  I  will  say  that  the 
barrel  B  is  used  merely  to  give  pressure  to  the  water  in  the  stove  ; 
C  is  the  faucet  for  drawing  water  from  the  barrel ;  D  the  faucet 
for  emptying  water  out  of  stove,  pipes  and  barrels.  E  is  a  cock 
for  letting  out  air  from  the  pipes  in  order  to  prevent  it  from 
interfering  with  the  water  circulation.  F  and  G  are  cocks  by 
which  the  connection  between  stove  and  water  pipes  can  be  broken. 

If  one  of  them  is  shut,  the 
circulation  stops,  and  the 
pipes  will  gradually  cool  off. 
If  it  should  be  desired  to 
heat  or  boil  the  water  in  the 
barrel,  it  can  be  done  by 
shutting  off  the  two  cocks, 
F  and  £,  and  opening  the 
one  in  the  vertical  pipe  lead- 
ing from  the  upper  heating 
pipe  to  the  barrel,  thus  com- 
pleting the  water  circulation 
through  boiler  and  barrel. 
Base-burning  Water  Heater  and  An  arrangement  of  this 
Arrangement  of  Pipes.  kind,  simple  and  inexpen- 

sive as  it  is,  sometimes  may  come  handy,  even  if  not  entirely 
necessary  for  the  regular  purpose  of  green-house  heating. 


CHAPTER  XVI. 

DRAINAGE. 

WHERE    NEEDED   AND    HOW    DONE. 
"  The  ability  to  overcome  obstacles  is  a  certain  guarantee  of  success." 

HE  best  garden  soil — that  adapted  for  the 
production  of  early  vegetables,  and  composed  of 
a  dark,  sandy  loam  resting  on  a  porous  subsoil 
— needs  no  artificial  drainage.  My  experience 
with  red  sandy  subsoil  in  New  Jersey  was  highly 
satisfactory.  The  soil  water  moves  freely  up 
and  down  through  subsoil  of  this  character,  and 
the  air  has  a  chance  to  warm  it  deeply  and 
quickly.  The  possession  of  such  land  (without  a  single  under- 
drain  on  it)  gives  advantages  against  which  the  proprietor  of 
clayey  loam  underlaid  with  stiff  blue  clay  will  find  it  utterly 
impossible  to  compete  successfully,  no  matter  how  much  money 
he  may  expend  for  drainage.  Whatever  may  be  said  in  favor  or 
greater  fertility  and  the  retentiveness  of  clayey  loam,  and  the 
leachy  character  of "  lighter"  soil,  the  fact  remains  that  vege- 
tables grown  on  the  former  will  be  days  if  not  weeks  later  than 
on  the  latter.  This  only  shows  the  importance  of  selecting  a 
more  or  less  sandy  loam  with  porous  subsoil  for  general  garden- 
ing purposes,  and  of  steering  entirely  clear  of  clay  on  clay 
foundation.  Muck  resting  upon  blue  clay  meets  with  the  same 
objection.  Still  such  cooler  soils,  when  properly  drained,  can 
generally  be  utilized  with  advantage  for  certain  crops,  such  as  for 
instance,  onions  and  celery.  If  a  piece  of  such  land  belonging 
to  the  gardener  is  yet  in  an  undrained  condition,  he  should  lose 
no  time  to  make  it  available,  and  often  exceedingly  profitable  by 
preparing  a  thorough  system  of  drainage.  In  some  cases  an 
otherwise  fine  garden  soil  is  underlaid  with  a  fairly  porous  loam 
which,  however,  offers  some  obstruction  to  the  free  passage  of 
surface  water.  Then  drainage  will  improve  it  wonderfully,  and 
perhaps  render  it  equal  to  the  best  garden  land  in  earliness  and 
productiveness. 

The  first  concern  is  to  find  an  outlet  2^/2  to  4  feet  below  the 
lowest  part  of  the  field,  as  a  starting  point  for  the  main  ditch 
that  is  to  be  carried  right  along  the  lowest  line  of  the  surface 
across  the  whole  field,  with  a  gradual  rise  of  not  less  than 

(83) 


84 — How  to  Make  the  Garden  Pay. 

J^-inch  (more  is  better)  to  the  rod.  The  laterals  begin  from  this 
main,  are  2  or  2^  rods  apart,  and  closer  if  it  can  be  afforded 
or  is  thought  necessary,  3  to  4  feet  in  depth,  and  also  rise 
gradually  at  least  ^-inch  to  the  rod.  As  the  only  object  is  to 
places  the  tiles  into  the  bottom,  we  have  no  need  for  wide 
ditches,  and  in  order  to  save  labor,  aim  to  make  them  as  narrow 
as  possible.  With  the  improved  ditching  tools  now  on  sale  in 
every  hardware  store,  such  drains  can  be  cut  quite  conveniently 
to  the  depth  of  4  feet  with  only  one  foot  across  on  top  and 
6  inches  at  the  bottom.  The  work  is  begun  with  common  spade, 
shovel  and  if  needed  pick-axe,  perhaps  with  the  assistance  of  a 

common  plow  and  subsoil  plow;  but 
the  last  12  inches  of  depth  are  dug 
with  the  long  narrow  spade  shown  at 
the  left  in  engraving,  and  the  finishing 
touches  given  with  the  draining  scoop 
shown  in  centre  of  same  figure.  This 
scoop,  which  is  drawn  towards  the 
operator,  only  finishes  the  perfect 
cleaning  out  of  the  bottom,  correcting 
faulty  grade,  etc. ,  and  leaves  a  concave 
bed  for  the  tile.  Scoops  of  this  kind 
are  made  in  different  sizes  to  fit  the 
tile.  Too  much  care  cannot  be  be- 
stowed on  the  grading.  To  secure 
perfect  working  order,  and  durability 
of  the  drains,  their  every  part  should 
have  a  slight  incline  towards  the  out- 
let ;  and  everything  that  might  tend 
to  obstruct  the  continuous  flow  of 
water  in  the  tiles  must  be  carefully 
Set  of  Draining  Tools.  guarded  against.  Common  sense  in 
the  whole  matter  must  dictate  the  details,  and  will  be  found  a 
safe  guide  throughout. 

SIZE  OF  TILES. — The  amount  of  water  that  runs  off  in  an 
even  and  continuous  stream,  after  the  first  rush  from  the  newly 
ditched  field,  determines  the  size  of  tile.  Two-inch  tile  are 
generally  preferable  for  the  lateral  drains,  while  the  main  must 
have  a  size  fully  capable  of  carrying  off  the  water  that  collects 
from  the  laterals  above,  at  the  time  of  greatest  supply.  The  flow 
from  a  well-arranged  system  of  underground  drains,  when  in 
perfect  working  order,  is  pretty  nearly  uniform  through  the  whole 
year,  only  of  greater  volume  in  winter  than  in  summer.  For  water 
containing  iron  larger  sizes  are  necessary,  as  the  deposits  adhere, 
and  are  liable  to  fill  up  the  tile  after  awhile.  The  extreme  upper 
end  of  the  main,  for  a  short  distance,  may  be  arranged  as  a  lateral, 
and  laid  with  small  tile,  but  it  should  then  be  made  larger  by  using 


Drainage. — 85 

3  or4~inch  tile,  and  for  the  lower  half  or  one-third  6-inch  andperhaps 
even  larger  sizes  may  be  necessary.  The  number  and  length  of 
laterals,  and  amount  of  water  passing  through  them,  determines 
this  question. 

LAYING  THE  TILES. — Next  to  perfect  grading  of  the  bottom, 
the  effectiveness  and  permanency  of  the  whole  draining  operation 
depends  on  the  careful  laying  of  the  tiles.  The  work  should  never 
be  entrusted  to  a  raw  hand,  unless  the  latter  is  endowed  with  an 
unusual  amount  of  common  sense,  skill  and  intelligence.  It  is 
much  safer  to  employ  a  man  used  to  such  work,  and  pay  him 
good  wages  by  the  day,  not  by  the  rod  or  job.  It  is  not  safe  to 
run  the  least  risk  of  having  this  important  job  slighted.  Laying 
the  tile  should  follow  immediately  upon  the  levelling  (grading) 
of  the  bottom,  and  in  order  to  perform  this  task  without  stepping 
into  the  ditch,  a  six  foot  pole  with  a  %  inch  iron  rod  fastened  to 
the  end  and  bent  in  the  form  of  an  elbow,  is  used  to  handle  section 


Tile  on  Soft  Bottom. 


Tile  on  Clay  Bottom. 


after  section  of  tile,  and  placing  it  in  its  proper  place.  The  ends 
should  be  closely  fitted  together,  and  clay  subsoil  firmly  packed 
around  them  to  hold  them  in  their  place,  until  the  ditches  can  be 
filled  up  again  to  the  top.  Fine  surface  soil  or  anything  that  will 
decay,  should  not  be  put  immediately  in  contact  with  the  tiles. 
It  is  also  essential  that  the  point  of  discharge  in  the  laterals 
should  be  a  few  inches  above  the  level  of  the  main,  to  insure  a 
good  flow.  It  is  obvious  that  the  tile  can  be  laid  directly  upon 
the  bottom  of  the  ditch  when  the  subsoil  is  perfectly  hard  and 
solid,  especially  if  of  stiff  clay.  Soft  muck  or  quicksand  in  the 
bottom  of  drains  makes  it  necessary  to  rest  the  tiles  upon  a  line 
of  narrow  (6  inch)  boards  placed  in  the  drain,  as  here  illustrated. 
In  some  instances'  tile  cannot  be  readily  obtained,  at  least  not 
without  paying  heavy  transportation  expenses,  and  other  means 


86 — How  to  Make  the  Garden  Pay. 

of  constructing  the  drain  have  to  be  found.  I  have  used  board 
troughs  with  excellent  results.  The  poorest  kind  of  lumber  may 
be  utilized  for  this  purpose.  Two  boards  are  nailed  together  at 
right  angles,  and  held  firmly  in  place  by  strips  nailed  diagonally 
across.  Such  troughs  may  be  placed  directly  upon  a  carefully- 
graded,  hard,  stiff  clay  bottom,  or  upon  a  line  of  boards  placed 
upon  soft  bottom,  in  same  way  as  the  tile.  Stones  and  pebbles, 
where  plentiful,  can  be  used  to  good  advantage  also;  but  to  get  a 
properly  constructed  drain  with  such  material,  the  inexperienced 
owner  will  always  find  it  safest  and  cheapest  to  have  the  work 
done  by  somebody  that  understands  it.  Tile  is  always  best,  and 
drains  thus  made  will  be  of  more  lasting  value.  All  stone  drains 
are  quite  liable  to  get  choked  up  after  awhile,  since  it  is  almost 
impossible  to  keep  the  soil  from  washing  and  working  among  the 
stones,  and  finally  fill  up  the  throat. 

THE  ADVANTAGES  OF  UNDERDRAINING. — As  one  of  the  most 
beneficial  results  of  good  underdraining  on  many  soils,  the  crops 
are  given  more  root  room.  The  roots  of  almost  all  our  garden 

crops  (and  field  crops 
also)  thrive  in  moist  soil, 
but  not  in  that  which  is 
wet  or  water-logged,  and 
they  are  stopped  when 
they  come  to  the  soil 
water.  Underdraining 
lowers  the  soil  water 
level,  allows  the  roots  to 
go  deeper,  and  therefore 

gives  them  more  room  to 
Board  Trough  In  Bottom  of  Drain.  WQrk     fn       Each     plant 

needs  a  certain  amount  or  weight  of  soil  for  its  best  development. 
If  it  can  feed  deeper  it  will  not  require  as  much  surface,  and  hence 
plants  in  well-drained  soil  can  be  planted  closer  than  in  undrained 
land.  But  good  drainage  gives  still  other  benefits.  It  warms  the 
soil  by  admitting  air  more  freely,  lengthens  the  season  at  both 
ends,  and  by  promoting  the  circulation  of  air  and  moisture, 
furnishes  chances  for  chemical  action  by  which  insoluble  plant 
food  is  rendered  available. 

But,  after  all,  tile  drains,  if  ever  so  well  laid,  cannot  be 
expected  to  last  forever,  and  often  they  give  out  quite  unex- 
pectedly, making  it  necessary  to  take  up  parts  of  them  for 
repairs  In  an  emergency  of  this  kind  it  is  quite  convenient  to 
know  the  exact  location  of  every  drain,  and  to  be  able  to  find  it 
without  having  to  dig  over  a  large  area.  A  map  showing  the 
location  of  every  tile  drain  put  down,  with  distances  marked  in 
rods  and  feet,  will  be  of  great  advantage,  and  a  valuable  assist- 
ance sooner  or  later. 


CHAPTER  XVII. 

IRRIGATION. 

SURFACE-SOAKING  AND  SUB-EARTH  FLOODING. 
"  More  powerful  than  art  is  Nature." 

RRIGATION,  while  a  necessary  and  common  practice 
under  the  rainless  skies  near  the  Pacific  coast,  is 
hardly  ever  thought  of  at  the  east.  I  have  made  a 
few  trials  on  a  somewhat  limited  scale,  and  the 
results  fully  convinced  me  that  the  chances  are  not 
rare  where  the  eastern  gardener  might  employ  some 
system  of  irrigation  with  as  telling  effect.  The  first 
requisite,  of  course,  is  a  sufficient  water  supply,  one 
which  can  be  controlled  or  made  available  without  great 
expense.  The  amount  of  liquid  needed  for  thorough  work — and 
this  alone  gives  satisfactory  results — is  so  immensely  large,  that 
I  have  little  respect  for  any  source  of  supply  of  less  magnitude 
than  a  pond  or  small  stream.  I  cannot  do  better  than  quote 
from  a  paper  read  before  the  American  Horticultural  Society, 
by  Mr.  J.  M.  Smith,  Wisconsin's  noted  and  successful  gardener, 
and  President  of  the  Wisconsin  State  Horticultural  Society : 
"A  few  things  should  be  remembered  by  those  who  contemplate 
artificial  watering.  Suppose  that  you  have  one  acre  of  cabbage 
that  you  wish  to  water.  To  do  this  fairly  well  requires  at  least 
30,000  gallons  of  water,  and  this  will  need  to  be  repeated  at  least 
once  a  week  until  rain  comes.  To  make  strawberries  do  their 
best  in  dry  weather,  requires  considerably  more  than  for 
cabbages,  and  to  be  put  on  oftener.  To  merely  sprinkle  the 
ground  when  it  is  very  dry,  is,  in  my  opinion,  a  damage  rather 
than  a  benefit.  It  has  a  tendency  to  form  a  thin,  hard  crust, 
both  air-  and  water-tight.  Neither  the  damp  air  nor  the  rains 
will  pass  through  it,  neither  will  a  light  shower.  It  requires  a 
heavy  rain  to  dissolve  it.  Thus  you  shut  out  the  benefits  to  be 
derived  from  the  cool,  damp  night  air,  the. heavy  dews  that  we 
often  have,  also  the  little  sprinkles  of  rain  that  are  almost  sure  to 
come  occasionally.  For  a  couple  of  years  after  my  water-works 
were  put  up,  I  was  at  a  loss  to  understand  why  our  watering  had 
so  little  effect.  I  had  a  piece  of  early  cabbage  that  was  suffering 
for  want  of  rain.  The  men  were  told  to  put  on  water  until  the 
ground  was  thoroughly  soaked  for  at  least  six  inches  deep.  They 

(87) 


88— How  to  Make  the  Garden  Pay. 

did  so,  and  I  learned  two  things  by  it.  One  was  that  a  thorough 
watering  would  make  the  plants  grow;  the  other  was  that  it 
took  a  great  deal  of  water  to  make  it  thorough. 

"  Hence  if  you  water  at  all,  do  it  well.  No  system  of  arti- 
ficial watering  that  I  have  ever  tried  is  equal  to  rain  from  the 
clouds.  I  do  not  state  these  things  to  discourage  any  one,  but 
because  I  believe  them  to  be  facts  that  should  be  known  to  those 
who  contemplate  some  improvements  of  this  kind.  My  water- 
works cost  me  nearly  $1,000,  and  I  have  no  doubt  but  that  they 
have  more  than  once  paid  for  themselves  in  a  single  season." 

Where  a  pond  or  other  body  of  water  is  available,  so  that  a 
stream  can  be  run  directly  to  the  highest  line  of  the  field,  irriga- 
tion is  a  very  simple  matter.  Make  light  furrows  down  the  slope, 
8  or  10  feet  apart,  between  the  rows  of  plants,  and  let  the  water 
run  down  in  one  after  another,  long  enough  in  each,  to  soak  up 
the  ground  pretty  thoroughly  to  the  lower  end,  before  turning 


Slope  Sub-irrigated  after  Cole's  method. 

off  the  flow  into  the  next  furrow.  The  application  should  not 
(or  need  not)  be  repeated  until  the  ground  becomes  quite  dry 
again,  but  it  is  absolutely  necessary  for  best  results,  and  lasting 
effects  of  the  operation,  to  cultivate  the  ground  thoroughly  just 
as  soon  as  the  surface  is  again  dry  enough  for  such  work.  Always 
make  the  water  channels  in  the  higher  places,  and  the  lower  ones 
are  apt  to  take  care  of  themselves.  In  irrigating  a  J  acre  lot  of 
celery  one  season,  between  6,000  and  8,000  gallons  of  water 
were  needed  to  give  the  ground  one  thorough  soaking,  but  this 
had  a  most  excellent  effect  on  the  plants. 

SUB-IRRIGATION. — Another  system  often  mentioned  but 
rarely  employed,  is  that  of  placing  tiles  in  close,  parallel,  shallow 
ditches  all  through  the  field,  so  the  tiles  are  just  out  of  reach  of 
the  plow,  and  then  introduce  the  water  from  some  source  into 
these  tiles,  one  line,  after  another,  soaking  up  the  land  from  below 


Irrigation. — 89 

the  surface,  otherwise  in  the  same  fashion  as  by  surface  irrigation. 
Reports  of  wonderful  crops  produced  on  slopes  of  soil  by 
no  means  rich,  under  a  new  system  called  by  the  inventor  (A.  N. 
Cole)  "  aquaculture  "  (water  culture),  or  new  agriculture,  have 
recently  attracted  considerable  attention ;  but  since  this  method 
is  quite  expensive,  and  possible  only  under  certain  conditions, 
namely,  on  a  slope  with  impervious  clay  subsoil,  it  is  not  of 
general  utility,  nor  excessively  meritorious.  Mr.  Cole  gives  the 
following  description  of  it :  "  A  ditch  is  opened  on  a  water  level 
along  the  hillside  or  slope,  say  a  yard  wide,  and  from  three  to 
five  feet  deep.  At  the  bottom  of  this  ditch  are  loosely  placed 
cobble  and  blocky  stones,  for  a  loot  or  two,  then  flat  stones  are 
laid  over  these,  then  a  quantity  of  smaller  stones ;  these  are 
covered  over  with  weeds,  briars,  brambles,  fine  brush,  straw, 
corn  stalks  or  other  available  material,  to  prevent  the  fine  earth 
from  falling  among  and  filling  the  crevices  between  the  stones. 
A  heavy  coating  ot  manure  may  follow,  and  then  the  excavated 
soil  is  spread  over  it,  and  a  terrace  is  graded  if  desired.  What- 
ever course  the  trench  may  take,  the  surface  of  the  hard  pan  at 
the  bottom  of  the  ditch  must  never  vary  from  a  water  level.  A 
series  of  such  ditches,  one  above  the  other,  are  dug  a  rod  or  so 
apart  and  similarly  filled,  over  as  large  a  surface  as  is  to  be 
improved,  each  forming  an  elongated  reservoir  which  will  be  filled 
by  the  water-courses  cut  off,  or  by  the  melting  snows  and  early 
rains ;  and  if  the  subsoil  is  firm  clay,  or  hard  pan,  it  will  be 
retained,  and  as  the  surface  soil  dries,  absorbed  by  capillary 
action,  and  brought  within  reach  of  the  roots  of  vegetation. 

"  The  connecting  overflow  trenches  should  be  in  the  subsoil, 
and  filled  with  fine  stone  to  the  depth  of  a  foot  at  least,  and 
shingled  with  flat  stones  in  the  same  manner  as  the  reservoir 
trenches.  This  shingling  should  be  of  sufficient  depth  to  escape 
the  plough  or  the  deepest  spading.  The  head  of  the  overflow 
trenches  at  the  base  of  the  slope  should  be  at  least  twelve  or 
eighteen  inches  above  the  bottom  of  the  reservoir." 

Cross-section  of  slope  thus  sub-irrigated  is  presented  in 
engraving.  A  is  the  surface  soil ;  B,  the  reservoir  trenches ;  C, 
the  sub-soil ;  D,  the  connecting  overflow  trenches  (which  might 
be  laid  with  tile,  where  that  can  be  had  conveniently  and  cheaply), 
and  E,  the  outlet  of  drainage  trench.  I  have  given  this  for 
information  more  than  in  the  expectation  that  many  readers  will 
make  practical  use  of  it. 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 

INSECTS  AND  OTHER  FOES. 

THEIR  WAYS  OF  DOING  MISCHIEF  AND  HOW  TO  KEEP  THEM  IN  CHECK. 
"  Eternal  Vigilance — the  Price.1' 

F  all  the  obstacles  to  the  successful  production  of 
choice  garden  vegetables,  none  has  ever  shown  itself 
in  a  more  serious  aspect  than  the  multiplication 
of  injurious  insects.  The  problem  how  to  get  rid 
of  them  often  sorely  puzzles  the  ingenuity  of  even 
the  best  gardener.  Frequently  our  plants  come 
up  nicely,  and  we  are  pleased  with  their  apparent 
health  and  thrift,  and  perhaps  pride  ourselves  on  our  skill ;  only 
to  find,  at  our  very  next  visit  to  the  garden,  soon  after,  that  the 
whole  plantation  is  badly  damaged,  if  not  already  ruined  beyond 
any  chance  of  recovery,  by  an  unexpected  attack  of  insect  foes. 
Occasionally  we  have  to  admit  our  utter  defeat. 

The  question  how  to  deal  with  insects  is  a  serious  problem. 
The  best  of  talent  has  been,  and  still  is,  engaged  in  the  attempt 
to  find  a  satisfactory  solution.  Columns  upon  columns  on  the 
subject  have  of  late  been  published  by  the  agricultural  press. 
Lectures  upon  lectures  on  insect  lore  have  been  delivered  by 
specialists,  and  bulletin  upon  bulletin  touching  upon  this  matter 
are  issued  by  the  Experiment  Stations,  and  sent  out  by  the 
thousand,  and  yet  I  am  asked  more  questions  on  "  insects  and 
what  to  do  for  them,"  than  on  any  other  subject.  So  I  will 
endeavor  to  give  pretty  plain  and  full  instructions. 

As  a  general  rule  it  may  be  stated  that  the  most  satisfactory, 
and  often  the  only  effective  measures  are  those  of  a  preventive 
character  or  tendency.  The  aim  should  be  to  keep  our  crops 
entirely  out  of  reach  or  observation  by  their  insect  foes,  and 
success  in  this  can  more  generally  and  more  easily  be  achieved 
by  a  judicious  system  of  rotation  ("wide"  rotation,  as  I  am 
tempted  to  call  it),  than  by  the  application  of  drugs,  etc.  The 
gardener  knows,  or  should  know,  the  exact  location  of  the 
breeding  places  of  the  various  bugs  and  beetles.  Where  their 
food  plants  had  been  grown  the  year  before,  right  there  we  may 
confidently  expect  to  see  the  foes  reappear  this  season.  In  last 
year's  cabbage  and  radish  patches  the  flea  beetle  will  be 
found  plentiful  this  year  ;  and  where  we  had  cucumber  and  squash 
vines  then,  we  will  find  the  yellow-striped  squash  beetle,  the  black 

(90) 


Insects  and  Other  Foes. — 91 

squash  bug,  etc.  Wherever  circumstances  allow,  therefore,  each 
crop  should  be  planted  at  considerable  distance  from  any  place 
where  the  same  or  a  similar  crop  was  grown  the  year  before. 
This  practice,  although  it  may  not  prevent  insect  visits  entirely, 
must  at  least  put  enough  of  the  depredators  off  the  track  to 
materially  moderate  the  amount  of  damage  coming  from  that 
source.  For  the  home  garden,  and  for  smaller  operations 
generally,  such  a  course  cannot  often  be  followed,  and  other 
means  of  protection  have  to  be  sought. 

Foremost  among  preventive  measures  stands  the  often 
employed  practice  of  hiding  the  plants,  in  boxes  or  open  frames, 
or  under  mosquito  netting,  or  by  surrounding  them  with  other 
quicker-growing  plants  (buckwheat,  beans,  etc.),  which  not  only 
serve  as  a  screen,  but  also  disguise  their  scent.  Strong-smelling 
substances,  such  as  carbolic  acid,  kerosene,  turpentine,  etc.,  are 
also  quite  frequently  used  to  hide  the  natural  scent  of  the  exposed 
plants,  thus  removing  one  of  the  chief  means  by  which  insects 
are  enabled  to  find  their  food  plants.  Another  quite  common 
preventive  consists  in  covering  the  endangered  plants  with  some 
substance  (plaster,  lime,  etc.),  that  is  distasteful  to  their  enemies, 
and  this,  unless  they  come  in  excessive  numbers,  or  are 
exceedingly  hungry,  is  often  effective  in  driving  them  off.  Either 
hand-picking  and  mashing,  or  poisoning,  must  be  resorted  to 
where  preventives  cannot  be  employed,  or  have  not  proven 
effective.  That  all  the  natural  enemies  of  our  injurious  insects — 
birds,  toads,  snakes,  cannibal  insects,  such  as  the  useful  and  pretty 
little  ladybird,  the  colosoma  (ground  or  tiger  beetle),  the  soldier 
bug,  etc. — should  be  encouraged  and  given  shelter,  need  hardly 
be  mentioned.  A  list  of  the  most  destructive  and  common 
insect  enemies  and  the  most  improved  ways  of  preventing  their 
mischief,  will  be  found  in  the  following : 

ANTS  (Formica], — Although  not  generally  directly  destruc- 
tive to  garden  vegetables,  they  are  sometimes  quite  obnoxious 
in  consequence  of  their  manner  of  throwing  up  hills.  Destroy 
their  nests  by  pouring  boiling  water,  or  hot  strong  alum  water 
over  the  hills.  The  ants  can  also  be  trapped  very  easily  by 
placing  a  coarse  sponge  moistened  with  sweetened  water  near 
their  haunts,  thus  attracting  them  in  large  numbers.  When  the 
sponge  is  black  with  the  creatures,  throw  it  into  boiling  water; 
then  wash  it  out  and  reset  the  trap.  Poisoned  molasses  placed 
near  their  haunts,  will  also  soon  make  an  end  to  their  existence. 

APHIS  OR  PLANT  LOUSE. — Of  the  hundreds  of  species  of  green, 
black,  and  blue  aphis  in  existence,  quite  a  number  are  trouble- 
some to  the  gardener.  Fortunately  the  whole  tribe  is  quite 
tender  ;  and  lettuce,  cabbages  and  cauliflowers  seriously  infested, 
perhaps  almost  wholly  covered  by  these  lice,  are  sometimes 
entirely  cleared  of  them  by  a  cold  spell  or  a  hard  rain,  etc  ,  and 


g2 — How  to  Make  the  Garden  Pay. 

for  this  reason  their  injury  to  such  crops  in  the  open  ground  is 
less  feared  and  serious  than  to  those  under  glass,  where  they 
often  become  a  real  source  of  danger. 

In  tobacco  we  have  a  simple  preventive  and  remedy.  Apply 
tobacco  dust  freely,  both  directly  to  the  soil,  as  a  means  of 
prevention,  and  upon  the  infested  plants  as  a  cure.  Strong  tobacco 
tea,  made  by  steeping  tobacco  stems  in  water,  if  sprinkled  or 
sprayed  on  plants,  will  also  quickly  rid  them  of  lice.  Fumigation 
(burning  dampened  tobacco  stems  two  or  three  times  a  week)  is 
quite  generally  practiced,  and  universally  successful  as  a  preventive 
measure  in  greenhouse  culture. 

A  simple  and  effective  remedy  for  this  and  other  injurious 
insects  is  the  kerosene  emulsion,  made  by  churning  one  quart  of 
soft  soap  (or  one  quarter  pound  of  whale-oil  soap),  one  pint  of 

kerosene  oil,  and  two 
quarts  of  water,  until  a 
perfect  union  or  emulsion 
is  formed.  The  operation 
of  churning  can  be  per- 
formed in  an  easy  and 
convenient  manner  by  the 
use  of  a  good  force  pump, 
forcing  the  liquid  back 
into  the  vessel  containing 
it.  The  emulsion  should 
be  diluted  with  two  gallons 
of  water,  and  applied  with 
a  force  pump  and  spray 
nozzle  over  the  infested 
plants.  The  fine  spray 
makes  the  operation  eco- 
nomical as  well  as  safe, 
and  if  thrown  with  suffi- 
cient force,  is  more  liable 
to  touch  all  lice.  It  is 
sure  to  kill  eggs  as  well  as 
lice. 

ASPARAGUS  BEETLE 
(Creoceris  asparagi] — .An 
Asparagus  Beetle,  Larva  and  Egg.  asparagus  branch  infested 
with  this  comparatively  new  insect  enemy  in  its  different  stages 
of  development,  natural  size,  with  enlarged  specimen  of  beetle 
and  larva  at  the  lower  right  hand  corner,  is  here  shown.  This 
insect  has  a  natural  enemy  in  the  cat-bird,  which  feeds  on  both 
beetles  and  larvae,  and  sometimes  greatly  reduces  their  number. 
Dusting  the  infested  plants  when  wet  with  dew,  with  air-slacked 
lime  on  a  quiet  morning,  is  probably  the  simplest,  and  a  reason- 


Insects  and  Other  Foes. — 93 

ably  sure  remedy.  Hand-picking  is  a  rather  tedious  operation, 
and  only  practicable  in  a  small  patch.  Cutting  the  affected  tops, 
removing  and  burning  them  is  often  practiced  with  good  effect. 
Dusting  with  tobacco  dust,  or  spraying  with  the  kerosene  emul- 
sion, are  also  reasonably  safe  remedies. 

BEAN  WEEVIL  (Bruchus  obsoletus). — This  insect  has  become 
a  really  more  formidable  foe  to  the  grower  of  beans,  peas,  and 
other  leguminous  plants,  than  even  its  much  larger  relative,  the 
pea  weevil.  It  devours  the  seeds  of  nearly  all  plants  of  the 
pulse  family  with  apparent  equal  relish,  but  is  easily  enough 
managed.  Simply  throw  the  beans  or  peas  as  soon  as  gathered 
and  threshed  for  a  few  seconds  into  boiling  water.  This  will 
kill  the  larvae  of  either  weevil  contained  in  them.  Seed  beans 
and  peas  should  always  be  treated  in  this  way  to  guard  against 
injury  to  the  next  crop.  Old  seed  is  always  free  from  bugs,  and 
by  its  use  all  danger  of  carrying  the  pest  to  new  fields  in  the  seed 
is  averted.  It  may  be  a  good  plan  to  tie  up  beans  and  peas 
intended  for  seed  tightly  and  securely  in  stout  paper  bags,  and  to 
keep  them  over  without  opening  the  bags,  until  the  second  year. 
The  bugs  will  then  have  died  without  living  issue.  The  larvae 
can  also  be  destroyed  by  exposing  the  seeds  in  a  closed  vessel, 
box  or  barrel,  to  the  fumes  of  turpentine,  or  bisulphide  of 
carbon,  or  by  mixing  with  them  a  small  quantity  of  fresh  insect 
powder. 

The  Ohio  Experiment  Station  finds  that  the  exposure  of 
the  infested  seed  for  one  hour  to  a  temperature  of  145  degrees 
Fahrenheit  destroys  the  larvae  without  injuring  the  germinative 
quality  of  the  seed.  An  ordinary  gasoline  stove  oven,  with  a 
lighted  kerosene  lamp  beneath  it,  was  used  in  conducting  the 
experiments.  Only  a  very  small  flame  is  needed  to  produce  the 
required  amount  of  heat.  To  be  of  most  benefit,  this  remedy 
must  be  applied  as  soon  as  possible  after  the  beans  or  peas  are 
fully  ripe. 

CABBAGE  PLUSIA  (sometimes  called  green  lettuce  worm). — It 
is  the  caterpillar  of  a  pretty  moth  (Plusia  Brassicce),  and  sometimes 
does  serious  injury  to  cabbage,  lettuce,  celery,  endive,  sage  and 
some  flowers.  It  is  a  ravenous  eater,  and  in  cabbages  and  lettuce 
bores  clear  through  to  the  hearts,  and  prefers  to  feed  from  the 
inside  rather  than  the  outside.  For  this  reason  it  is  not  so  easily 
reached  with  insecticides  as  the  green  cabbage  worm.  Try 
buhach  and  careful  hand  picking. 

CABBAGE  MAGGOT. — See  Radish  Fly. 

CABBAGE  WORM. — The  larva  of  the  cabbage  butterfly  (Pieris 
raphce),  shown  on  next  page,  has  for  many  years  been  the 
most  serious  obstacle  to  the  home  production  of  cabbages,  and 
yet  few  insect  foes  are  so  easily  kept  in  check  as  this.  The 
butterfly  is  double-brooded.  The  first  brood  is  seen  flitting  about 


94 — How  to  Make  the  Garden  Pay. 

the  fields  in    May,  the   second  in  August,  and  the  progeny  of 
the  latter  causes  the  most  trouble. 

The  sovereign  remedy  for  this  pest  is  fresh  Pyrethrum  pow- 
der, generally  called  Persian  or  Dalmatian  insect  powder.  The 
imported  article,  when  in  full  strength,  is  perfectly  reliable,  but 
\  f  when  stale  (and  this  is  the  usual 

condition  of  the  powder  on  sale  in 
drug  stores)  gives  rather  uncertain 
results.  Buhach  is  a  California 
product,  the  ground  flower  of 
Pyrethrum  cinerariczfolium,  gen- 
erally fresh,  and  put  up  in  tight 
tin  cans,  and  in  my  experience  has 
never  failed  to  give  entire  satisfac- 
tion. While  the  imported  article 


Butterfly  of  the  Cabbage  Worm, 


may  be  bought  for  less  money,  pound  for  pound,  the  California 
product,  on  account  of  greater  strength  and  certain  death-dealing 
effect,  is  by  far  the  cheaper  in  the  end,  and  every  gardener  should 
try  to  get  buhach  in  preference  to  the  common  insect  powder. 

The  remedy  can  be  applied  in  various  ways.  When  to  be 
used  in  liquid  form,  take  a  tablespoonful  of  the  pure  powder,  and 
with  a  little  water  work  it  into  a  paste,  then  dilute  with  two 
gallons  of  water,  and  sprinkle  it  on  the  plants  with  a  watering 
pot,  or  still  better,  apply  in  a  fine  spray  with  considerable  force, 
so  that  every  worm  will  be  reached. 

A  very  convenient  mode  of  application  for  the  home  garden 
is  that  in  dry  form,  by  means  of  a  simple  dusting  apparatus  or 
pocket  rubber  bellows,  as  for  instance  shown  in  illustration.  This, 


Simple  Powder  Bellows. 

or  a  similar  and  just  as  effectual  one,  can  undoubtedly  be  had  of 
our  friend,  Win.  Henry  Maule,  of  Philadelphia,  Pa.,  or  most  other 
seedsmen,  at  a  mere  nominal  price.  During  the  summer  months 
I  generally  carry  one  of  the  bellows  charged  with  a  mixture  of 
one  part  of  buhach,  and  four  or  five  of  flour  or  air-slacked  lime 
in  my  pocket,  and  apply  a  few  puffs  here  and  there,  wherever  I 
notice  the  effects  of  cabbage  or  similar  worms.  That  puts  a 
sudden  stop  to  their  mischief.  The  whole  matter  is  so  simple, 
inexpensive  and  certain,  and  requiring  so  little  time  or  effort, 
that  I  would  hardly  give  any  man  10  cents  to  insure  me  perfect 
immunity  from  worms  for  each  100  head  of  cabbages. 


Insects  and  Other  Foes. — 95 


When  we  have  at  hand  a  remedy  so  highly  effective  and 
satisfactory  as  buhach,  there  is  absolutely  no  reason  why  we 
should  search  for  other  means,  and  I  believe  it  is  simply  fooling 
away  time  to  experiment  with  hot  water,  ice  water,  solutions  of 
saltpetre  or  alum,  or  with  pepper,  road  dust,  or  the  many  other 
remedies  of  like  nature  recommended.  Mr.  A.  S.  Fuller  also 
reports  that  he  has  had  the  very  best  success  in  killing  the  worms 
by  sprinkling  the  infested  plants  with  tar  water. 

CELERY  WORM. — The  caterpillars  found  on  celery,  parsley, 
etc.,  which  are  the  progeny  of  the  asterias  butterfly  (Papilio 
asterias}  can  be  got  rid  of  by  the  remedies  recommended  for  the 
cabbage  worm ;  but  since  they  are  hardly  ever  numerous,  I  have 
always  disposed  of  them  by  hand-picking. 

CORN  OR  BOLL  WORM  (Heliothis  armigera}. — The  moth  of  this, 
like  the  cabbage  butterfly,  is  double-brooded ;  the  first  brood 
generally  attacking  the  very  early  varieties  of  sweet  and  other 
corn  varieties,  and  the  second  brood  doing 
considerable  damage  to  the  late  varieties,  so 
that  the  intermediate  sorts  usually  escape 
altogether.  The  fruit  of  tomatoes,  bean  and 
pea  pods,  and  vine  fruits  are  also  occasion- 
ally attacked.  The  only  remedy  that  prom- 
ises relief,  is  to  hand-pick  the  first  brood  of 
larvae,  found  on  early  sweet  corn,  and  to 
destroy  them,  thereby  rendering  the  attacks 
of  the  subsequent  brood  less  serious.  It  is 
sometimes  recommended  to  bait  and  catch 
(drown)  the  moths  by  means  of  a  mixture  of  molasses  and  vinegar. 
CUCUMBER  BEETLE  (Diabrotica  vittatd}. — Of  all  the  insects 
in  the  garden,  the  little  creature  that  wears  a  yellow-striped  suit, 
and  troubles  young  cucumber,  melon,  squash  and  pumpkin  plants 
is  probably  the  worst,  and  difficult  to  deal  with.  Hiding  away 

the  whole  patch  so  the 
beetles  cannot  easily 
find  it,  by  changing 
location  (the  "wide 
rotation "  spoken  of) 
is  yet  one  of  the  very 
best  methods  ;  but  this 
cannot  well  be  prac- 
ticed in  the  home  gar- 
den, and  here  we  may  often  adopt  the  plan  of  hiding  away 
individual  plants  or  hills,  either  by  placing  a  simple  frame  or 
bottomless  box  around  them,  as  here  illustrated,  or  by 
covering  them  with  muslin-covered  plant  protectors,  or  with 
little  pieces  of  muslin  fastened  down  to  the  ground  at  the  four 


Corn,  Boll  or  Cotton 
Worm. 


Frame  for  Protecting  Young  Vines. 


96 — How  to  Make  the  Garden  Pay. 

corners,  or  by  similar  devices.  A  ring  of  buckwheat  or  beans 
sown  around  the  vines  when  the  latter  are  planted,  is  another 
expedient  sometimes  employed  for  the  purpose  of  hiding  the 
vines.  The  period  of  danger  is  only  while  the  plants  are  young, 
especially  in  seed-leaf,  and. our  first  aim  should  be  to  push  the 
plants  by  rich  stimulating  food,  liquid  manuring,  if  needed,  past 
the  stage  when  they  are  liable  to  ruinous  attacks. 

The  young  plants  are  so  tender  and  succulent,  and  there  is 
so  little  of  them,  that  the  first  visit  of  a  number  of  striped  beetles 
usually  means  little  less  than  destruction  to  the  victims.  Treat- 
ment must  positively  be  begun  in  advance  of  the  insects'  first 
appearance. 

The  usual  method,  suited  especially  for  larger  plantations, 
but  having  considerable  merit  for  the  home  garden  also,  consists 
in  keeping  the  plants  from  the  day  they  first  begin  to  break 
ground  until  they  are  beyond  the  period  of  danger,  well  covered 
with  plaster  or  bone  dust  The  coating  must  be  renewed 
promptly  whenever  washed  off  by  rains  or  heavy  dews.  Air- 
slacked  lime  is  sometimes  used,  but  it  is  always  risky,  on  account 
of  its  still  caustic  nature.  In  all  cases  where  plaster  is  made  to 
serve  as  insect  repeller,  I  would  prefer  to  have  it  flavored  with 
carbolic  acid,  by  mixing  a  pint  of  the  crude  article  with  a  bushel 
of  plaster.  The  acid  can  do  no  possible  harm,  and  it  always 
adds  to  the  effectiveness  of  plaster  or  air-slacked  lime. 

Another  equally  meritorious  remedy  is  the  following  :  Mix 
a  tablespoonful  of  kerosene  in  two  quarts  of  plaster,  sifted  wood 
ashes,  or  bone  flour,  rubbing  it  with  the  hands  until  the  oil  is 
well  distributed,  then  sprinkle  this  over  the  vines,  and  repeat  as 
often  as  required.  It  is  also  worth  while  to  try  this  trick  of 
repelling  the  marauders  by  placing  little  heaps  of  ashes,  saturated 
with  kerosene,  turpentine,  or  carbolic  acid,  or  pieces  of  corn-cobs, 
soaked  in  coal  tar,  among  the  vines  to  be  protected.  Should  the 
insects  find  the  vines  in  spite  of  all  precautions,  we  yet  have  a 
remedy  to  apply,  and  this  consists  in  spraying  the  vines  with  a 
weak  solution  of  Paris  green  at  the  rate  of  1 5  gallons  of  water 
to  one  ounce  of  poison.  Apply  in  a  fine  spray,  so  that  the 
poisonous  liquid  will  reach  the  upper  and  lower  surfaces  of  every 
leaf,  and  the  stems  also.  If  a  spraying  apparatus  is  not  at  hand, 
a  small  quantity  of  poison  may  be  mixed  with  the  plaster  or  bone 
dust,  and  applied  dry. 

CUT  WORMS  (Agrotis). — A  large  number  of  species  of  cut 
worms  make  themselves  highly  obnoxious  to  the  gardener  by 
the  impudence  with  which  they  attack  and  cut  down  almost 
every  kind  of  newly-set  plants.  They  are  mostly  clumsy  and 
greasy-looking  caterpillars  of  some  dull  shade  of  color  (grayish, 
brown,  greenish),  remain  in  their  hiding  places  on  bright  days, 
and  come  to  the  surface  at  night  or  in  cloudy  weather,  to  seek 


Insects  and  Other  Foes. — 97 

what  green  stuff  they  can  devour.    The  illustration  presents  both 
worm  and  moth  of  one  of  the  species. 


Cut  Worm — Moth  and  Larva. 

Fortunately  these  worms  have  many  natural  enemies, 
among  them  the  robin,  thrushes,  quailf  wren  and  other  birds, 
toads,  etc.,  which  together  keep  their  numbers  down  quite  well. 
Fall  plowing  serves  to  bring  many  of  the  worms  to  the  surface, 
and  to  expose  them  to  "  bird's-eye  view "  and  perhaps  to 
destruction  by  frost. 

The  fresh  effects  of  their  night's  work  can  best  be  noticed 
bright  and  early  in  the  morning,  and  they  can  then  be  found  near 
the  place  of  mischief,  hunted  up  and  killed.  Before  a  piece  of 
plowed  ground  is  planted,  we  can  often  dispose  of  the  majority 
of  the  worms  by  placing  pieces  of  sod,  sprinkled  with  a 
poisonous  solution,  at  regular  intervals  over  the  ground.  The 
remedy  is  simple,  and  may  be  repeated,  thus  making  the  way 
clear  for  setting  plants.  Beans  are  sometimes  planted  for  bait, 
and  in  advance  of  the  real  crop,  whatever  that  may  be.  The 
field  is  looked  over  on  several  mornings  after  the  beans  are  up 
and  the  worms  hunted  up  where  plants  are  seen  cut  off.  The 
regular  crop  is  planted  after  most  of  the  worms  are  destroyed. 
A  practice  often  resorted  to,  is  to  encircle 
each  plant  to  be  set  out,  with  a  piece  of 
paper,  which  should  reach  down  into  the  soil, 
as  the  worm  cannot  crawl  under  it,  and  extend 
several  inches  above  the  surface,  so  it  cannot 
crawl  over  it. 

The  picture  shows  how  this  is  done,  and 
how  the  plan  works.  I  often  use  plant  pro- 
tectors somewhat  resembling  bottomless  flower 
pots,  which  I  had  made  for  the  purpose,  as  a 
mechanical  obstacle  to  the  cut  worm's  progress. 

FLEA  BEETLE  (Halticd).  In  this  we  have 
another,  and  often  a  very  troublesome  enemy. 
On  soil  where  cabbage,  radishes  or  turnips  were  grown  the  year 
before,  or  in  the  vicinity  thereof,  these  little  jumping  things 
appear  often  in  such  numbers,  that  it  is  difficult  to  make  headway 
against  them.  Change  of  location  is,  therefore,  to  be  recom- 


Cut  Worm  and  Pro- 
tected Plant. 


98 — How  to  Make  the  Garden  Pay. 

mended  as  the  chief  preventive  measure.  Ordinarily  we  can 
succeed  in  preventing  serious  damage  to  our  young  plants  of  the 
Brassica  family,  by  dusting  them,  when  first  appearing  above 
ground,  with  plaster,  air-slacked  lime,  sifted  wood  ashes,  soot, 
tobacco  dust,  or  in  fact  any  dust-like  material.  When  the  beetles 
appear  in  very  large  numbers,  and  consequently  are  very  hungry, 
mere  grit  will  not  repel  them,  and  a  little  admixture  of  Paris 
green — one  part  to  a  hundred  parts  of  plaster — to  such  appli- 
cations will  be  necessary.  The  insect  is  hardy  and  resistant 
enough  not  to  appear  to  be  inconvenienced  by  even  the  best  of 
buhach  in  full  strength,  nor  by  strong  vapors  of  naphtaline. 
Little  chicks  will  catch  these  insects  in  great  quantities,  and  so 
will  toads  when  they  happen  to  come  across  an  infested  patch. 

Of  late  these  insects  have  appeared  in  vast  numbers  in  our 
potato  fields,  and  often  entirely  ruin  the  foliage,  greatly  reducing 
the  crop  of  tubers.     The  only  remedy  that  thus  far  has  seemed 
to  give  relief,  is  spraying  the  vines  freely  with  a  strong  decoction 
of  tobacco  stems  or  dust.      Very  likely,  also,  the  free  use  of 
dry  tobacco  dust  may  drive  these  beetles  away. 
GRUBS —  White.     See  May  Beetle. 
MAGGOT — Cabbage,  Onion,  etc.     See  Onion  Fly. 
MAY  BEETLE.     (Lachnosterna)      In   the    perfect   or  beetle 
state,  this  does  not  usually  damage  the  gardener's  crops  very 
seriously;    but  its  larva,  the  well  known 
and  much  feared  "  white  grub "   is  often 
very  destructive    to    the   roots   of   straw- 
berries,  corn    and    other 
garden  plants,  especially 
when  grown  on  sod  land 
recently    brought    under 
cultivation.      Both  beetle 
and   larva  are   shown  in 
May  Beetle  and  Grub.  illustration.      Fortunately 

these  fat  grubs  have  many 

natural  enemies,  especially  brown  thrushes,  robins,  crows,  and  a 
number  of  other  birds;  also  moles,  pigs,  skunks,  etc.  Fall  plow- 
ing and  continued  cultivation  will  soon  rid  the  field  of  their 
undesirable  presence.  It  is  also  recommended  to  make  some 
artificial  breeding  place,  by  covering  piles  of  fresh  cow  manure 
with  fine  earth  during  latter  part  of  May  or  June.  Many  beetles 
will  select  these  for  a  place  to  deposit  their  eggs,  and  the  heaps 
may  be  turned  over  and  spread  out  exposing  the  young  larvae  to 
sure  destruction  by  frost,  birds  and  other  natural  enemies. 

ONION  FLY.  (Anthomyia.)  More  generally  known  as  radish 
or  cabbage  fly.  In  general  appearance  it  resembles  a  small 
house  fly.  It  is  the  parent  of  the  maggot,  which  troubles  the 
roots  of  cabbages,  radishes,  onions,  turnips,  etc.,  and  makes  itself 


Insects  and  Other  Foes. — 99 

so  exceedingly  obnoxious  to  the  gardener.  Plenty  of  lime  in  the 
soil,  or  its  free  use  about  the  plants,  or  ashes  from  the  burnt  rub- 
bish heap,  tend  to  keep  them  away.  Wood  ashes  moistened 
with  kerosene  oil  and  scattered  around  the  plants  are  said  to  be 
especially  effective  in  repelling  the  fly.  Change  of  location  is  a 
reasonably  safe  and  simple  preventive,  and  although  not  an  abso- 
lute one,  should  always  be  employed  where  practicable.  In  some 
years  it  is  almost  impossible  to  raise  early  radishes  and  cabbages 
free  from  the  disgusting  worms,  and  again  the  next  season  on 
same  soil,  and  all  over  the  whole  vicinity,  the  trouble  from  this 
source  will  be  so  slight  as  not  to  be  worth  mentioning.  The 
insect  seems  to  prefer  radishes  to  cabbages,  and  either  of  these  to 
onions,  so  that  the  latter,  if  some  cabbages  or  radishes  are  planted 
in  the  same  field  with  them,  will  generally  escape  attack,  as  all  the 
maggots  will  concentrate  on  the  cabbage  and  radish  plants. 
These  must  be  pulled  up  and  destroyed.  Where  onions  are 
affected,  as  may  be  seen  by  their  tops  turning  yellow,  they  should 
also  be  gathered  and  destroyed. 

During  last  spring  it  has  been  discovered  that  lime-water  is 
a  reasonably  sure  remedy,  where  plants  are  just  beginning  to 
suffer.  Slack  a  peck  of  caustic  lime  in  20  gallons  of  water,  pre- 
ferably diluted  liquid  manure,  stir 
long  and  thoroughly,  and  apply  to 
the  plantation  at  the  rate  of  a  pint 
to  each  cabbage  plant,  or  a  quantity 
sufficient  to  soak  the  ground  closely 
to  the  roots,  so  that  every  maggot 
there  at  work  will  be  reached  by 
the  caustic  liquid,  the  mere  contact 
of  which  brings  sure  death  to  all 
soft-bodied  worms.  The  occasional 
application  of  lime-water  to  plants 
in  seed  bed,  and  also  to  those  in 
open  field,  at  least  during  their 
earlier  stages,  deserves  to  be  gener- 
ally adopted  as  a  precautionary 
measure. 

PARSLEY  WORM. — This  is  the 
larva  of  the  Asterias  butterfly 
(Papilio  asterias),  and  feeds  on  the 
leaves  of  parsley,  parsnip,  celery, 
carrot,  dill,  and  allied  plants.  It  is 
a  disagreeable  fellow,  with  a  most 
disgusting  odor,  and  the  best  way 


Parsley  Worm,  Butterfly  and 
Chrysalis. 


to  treat  it  is  to  pick  off  the  leaf-stalk  on  which  it  is  found,  throw 
it  on  the  ground,  and  put  your  foot  heavily  upon  it.  Butterfly, 
caterpillar  and  chrysalis  are  shown  in  accompanying  illustration. 


ioo — How  to  Make  the  Garden  Pay. 

PEA  WEEVIL. — This  is  the  bean  weevil's  larger  brother,  and 
must  be  treated  in  same  way.  For  directions  see  Bean  Weevil. 

POTATO  BEETLE.  (Doryphora  decemlineata) — This  has 
become  far  too  common  to  need  description.  Change  of  location 
for  the  patch  can  again  be  recommended  as  a  means  to  mitigate  if 
not  entirely  avert  its  fearful  ravages.  Paris  green  will  have  to  be 
used  in  nearly  every  case,  however,  if  serious  damage  is  to  be 
avoided.  Hand-picking  is  seldom  reliable,  except  where  the 
beetles  are  not  usually  very  numerous.  The  remedy  can  be 
applied  either  in  dry  or  in  liquid  form.  The  beetles,  hungry  after 
a  long  fast,  generally  appear  as  soon  as  the  potatoes  are  coming 
up,  and  the  first  application  of  poison — preferably  in  a  dry  form — 
should  promptly  be  made,  to  dispose  of  this  old  stock,  and  pre- 
vent not  only  the  destruction  of  the  first  tender  foliage  and  con- 
sequent weakening  of  the  plants,  but  also  the  propagation  of  the 
destructive  pest. 

The  preparation  of  the  poison  is  quite  simple.  Pure  Paris 
green  is  mixed  with  at  least  ioo  times  its  weight  of  plaster,  flour, 
or  air-slacked  lime — the  first  named  preferred.  Make  the 
mixture  thorough,  and  if  convenient,  prepare  it  a  few  days  in 
advance.  In  the  absence  of  better  means  of  application,  a  simple 
tin-can,  with  handle  and  perforated  bottom,  will  answer  the 
purpose,  especially  when  the  plants  are  yet  small.  Give  each 
plant,  as  soon  as  up,  a  dash  of  the  dry  poisonous  mixture,  and 
thus  protect  it  from  harm.  Later  on,  when  the  first  brood  of 
eggs  hatch,  the  young  larvae  or  slugs  concentrate  in  the  tender 
centres  of  the  stalks,  and  another  dash  of  the  poison  should  be 
applied  without  delay,  for  if  neglected  more  than  a  few  days,  the 
slugs  will  scatter  all  over  the  plants,  and  make  fighting  them 
more  inconvenient,  necessitating  the  distribution  of  the  poison- 
ous material  over  the  entire  surface  of  the  plant.  Repeat  the 
dose  as  often  as  required.  Various  new  devices  for  putting 
poison  in  dry  form  on  potatoes,  by  hand  or  horse  power,  have 
now  been  introduced,  and  the  grower  must  select  those  that  suit 
his  case. 

When  the  poison  is  to  be  applied  in  liquid  form,  one  pound 
of  the  pure  article  should  be  stirred  into  150  gallons  of  water, 
and  under  constant  stirring,  be  sprayed  over  the  plants  with  force 
pump  and  spray  nozzle.  An  effective  application  cannot  well  be 
made  by  the  quite  common  method  of  using  a  garden  sprinkler, 
or  any  similar  sprinkling  device,  without  more  or  less  injury  to 
the  foliage,  in  consequence  of  the  uneven  distribution  over  the 
foliage.  The  liquid  gathers  here  and  there  in  drops,  especially 
on  lower  end  of  leaves,  and  evaporating,  leaves  the  poison  often 
too  concentrated  for  the  good  of  the  plants.  This  danger  may, 
at  least  in  a  measure,  be  avoided,  by  having  the  liquid  weak,  and 
keeping  it  constantly  stirred  to  hold. the  poison  well  suspended 


Insects  and  Other  Foes. — 101 


in  the  liquid.  Its  natural  tendency  is  to  sink  to  the  bottom. 
The  recently  introduced  "  Vine  and  Plant  Sprinkler,"  invented  by 
F.  A.  Tyler,  Rome,  N.  Y.,  and  kept  on  sale  by  leading  hardware 
dealers,  is  the  only  cheap  device  now  known  to  me,  which  makes 
the  hand  sprinkling  method  comparatively  convenient,  safe  and 
effective.  I  am  using  it  myself,  and  am  well  pleased  with  it. 
The  annexed  figures  will  make  the  arrangement  and  use  of  the 
sprinkler  plain.  In  normal  condition  the  escape  of  the  liquid  in 
bottom  of  reservoir  is  prevented  by  the  tight  fitting  rubber  cap 
B  (see  interior  view)  pressed  against  the  orifice  by  means  of  the 
spiral  spring  D.  When  the  rod  A  is  pulled  upwards  (by 
operator's  middle  finger)  the  liquid  enters  tube  D,  falls  into  the 
fine  rose  C,  and  is  forced  upon  the  plant  below  it,  in  a  fine  rain. 
The  same  machine,  by  the  interchange  of  some  of  the  parts, 
can  also  be  used  for  sifting  the  dry  mixture,  but  does  not  work 
quite  so  well. 


In  use.  Exterior  view.  Interior  view. 

A  convenient  vine  and  plant  sprinkler. 

Potato  beetles  are  very  destructive  to  egg  plants,  especially 
late  in  the  season,  after  potatoes  have  matured,  and  the  beetles 
find  no  more  food  except  the  egg  plants  of  which  they  are  very 
fond.  The  slugs  can  easily  be  kept  off  by  Paris  green  applica- 
tions ;  but  the  beetles  often  come  in  such  numbers  that  no  matter 
how  many  may  die  from  the  effects  of  the  poison,  their  places 
are  at  once  filled  by  others,  and  it  is  impossible  to  save  the  plants 
from  entire  annihilation. 

RADISH  FLY  AND  MAGGOT. — See  Onion  Fly. 

SNAILS. — The  only  effectual  way  of  dealing  with  these,  where 
troublesome,  is  to  set  traps  by  scattering  pieces  of  orange-peel 
over  the  ground.  The  snails  are  so  fond  of  this  delicacy  that 
they  will  remain  clinging  to  the  peel  rather  than  go  back  to 
their  hiding  places  at  break  of  day.  Examine  the  traps  every 
morning,  and  destroy  the  marauders. 


102 — How  to  Make  the  Garden  Pay. 

SQUASH  VINE  BORER.  (Algeria  cucurbitce.} — Our  first  aim 
should  be  to  repel  the  moth,  and  prevent  her  from  depositing 
her  eggs  on  the  plants.  Perhaps  this  may  be  successfully  ac- 
complished by  placing  corn  cobs  smeared  with  coal  tar,  turpen- 
tine, kerosene,  or  carbolic  acid  near  the  roots  of  the  plants.  If 
we  have  not  been  successful  in  keeping  the  moth  off,  we  should 
hunt  up  and  destroy  the  larvae  (borers)  when  they  first  begin  to 
tunnel  through  the  main  stock  near  the  surface  of  the  soil.  They 
give  the  preference  to  pumpkins,  squashes,  and  similar  members 
of  the  gourd  family,  but  also  attack  melon  and  cucumber  vines, 
riddling  the  stem  near  the  ground,  and  often  cutting  off  all  com- 
munication between  top  and  root.  Discover  their  location  and 
dig  them  out  with  the  point  of  a  sharp  knife.  With  squash  and 
other  plants  which  readily  strike  root  from  the  joints,  it  is  the 

easiest  thing  in  the 
world  to  practically 
prevent  all  injury.  All 
you  have  to  do  is  to 
cover  the  first  joints 
firmly  with  fresh  soil 
as  soon  as  the  vines 
begin  to  run.  The 
be  made  entirely  inde- 


Layered  Squash  Vine. 


then 


plants,  as  shown  in  picture,  can 
pendent  of  their  original  roots. 

SQUASH  BUG,  BLACK.  (Anasa  tristis^) — In  July  the  patches  of 
dark  brown  eggs  may  be  found  on  the  underside  of  the  leaves 
of  pumpkins,  squashes,  etc.,  while  the  bugs  are  hidden  under 
rubbish,  clods  of  soil,  stones,  etc.,  near  the  plants.  Few  things 
seem  to  be  repulsive  enough  for  them  to  keep  or  drive  them  off 
the  plants,  but  plaster  flavored  with  kerosene  or  carbolic  acid 
may  be  tried.  It  may  at  least  tend  to  lessen  their  numbers. 
Trapping  is  yet  the  only  sure  remedy.  Place  pieces  of  shingles, 
small  stones,  or  rubbish  of  some  sort  about  the  hills,  and  examine 
them  for  bugs  every  morning,  dispatching  them  by  shaking 
into  a  dish  containing  some  kerosene,  or  mashing  them  with 
home-made  tweezers  consisting  of  a  simple  piece  of  band  iron, 


Tweezers  for  killing  bugs. 

and  bent  as  here  shown.     The  bug  is  repulsive  and  has  a  most 
disagreeable  odor,  but  should  be  fought  with  persistency. 

WIRE  WORM.  (Julus) — These  are  the  offsprings  of  various 
snapping  beetles  or  elaters,  hard,  smooth-skinned,  white  or  yel- 
lowish, worm-like  creatures,  feeding  on  potatoes,  carrots,  the 
roots  of  herbaceous  plants,  etc.,  and  often  doing  considerable 
damage  to  these  crops.  As  beetles,  they  live  on  the  tender  leaves 


Insects  and  Other  Foes. — 103 

of  various  plants.  The  name  "  wire- worm"  is  often  wrongfully 
applied  to  the  generally  larger  and  darker-colored  centipede  or 
thousand-legged  worm.  Trapping  or  baiting  is  about  the  only 
method  of  fighting  them  which  promises  any  success  whatever. 
Sliced  potatoes  or  other  vegetables  are  buried  beneath  the  ground 
here  and  there  over  the  area  to  be  freed  from  the  pest,  and  each 
place  marked  with  a  stick,  for  convenience  of  examination.  Look 
these  baits  over  carefully  every  morning,  and  gather  and  destroy 
the  worms. 

OTHER  FOES. — Moles,  although  living  entirely  on  worms  and 
insects,  and  never  destroying  crops  directly  by  eating,  often,  par- 
ticularly in  sandy  and  mucky  soils,  become  a  source  of  much 
annoyance  to  the  gardener  by  tunneling  under  the  plant  beds, 
lifting  out,  and  killing  many  young  plants,  indirectly  by  expo- 
sure and  drying  up.  Good  traps  may  now  be  had  at  very  reason- 
able prices  of  almost  every  hardware  dealer.  When  persistently 
kept  set  according  to  directions  which  accompany  each  of  these 
traps,  they  will  soon  reduce  the  numbers  of  the  burrowing  pests. 

RATS,  MICE,  ETC. — When  troubling  hot-beds, hot-houses,  etc., 
are  also  easily  enough  trapped  or  poisoned.  Cheese  crumbs  are 
a  favorite  bait  for  them  ;  but  there  is  hardly  anything  that  will 
more  surely  entice  the  rodents  than  Sunflower  seed.  If  a  steel 
trap  is  used  to  catch  rats,  a  large  piece  of  very  thin  muslin  should 
be  covered  over  the  trap  when  set,  strewn  with  cheese  crumbs, 
sunflower  seeds,  pumpkin  seeds,  etc.,  and  perseveringly  kept  set. 
This  will  clear  the  premises  of  rats  after  awhile.  Woodchucks 
are  frequently  very  troublesome  to  beans,  and  occasionally 
to  squash  and  pumpkin  vines,  corn,  etc.  One  of  the  surest 
ways  of  getting  rid  of  them,  is  to  find  the  burrows,  insert  a  one- 
quarter  or  one-half  pound  charge  of  dynamite  with  a  long  fuse, 
stop  up  every  opening,  then  fire  the  end  of  the  fuse  outside,  and 
leave  the  animal  to  its  fate.  A  mixture  of  tar,  sulphur  and  salt- 
petre, burned  inside  the  burrow,  with  all  the  openings  closed,  will 
also  hardly  ever  fail  to  produce  the  desired  effect. 

BIRDS  are  sometimes  troublesome  in  the  strawberry  patch. 
Try  to  scare  them  away  rather  than  shoot  them,  unless  there  is 
no  other  alternative.  Exploding  small  fire  crackers  sometimes 
has  good  effect.  It  is  said  that  birds  eat  berries  only  because 
they  get  dreadfully  thirsty  ;  and  that  a  pan  kept  filled  with  fresh 
water  where  birds  can  have  easy  access  to  it,  will  save  the  berries 
from  this  source  of  danger. 


CHAPTER    XIX. 

FUNGUS  DISEASES  OF  PLANTS. 

HOW   TO    PREVENT    AND    CURE   THEM. 
"  An  ounce  of  prevention  is  better  than  a  pound  of  cure." 

ECENT  investigations  have  acquainted  us  pretty 
well  with  the  true  nature,  modes  of  propagation, 
etc.,  of  most  of  the  fungi  which  attack  and 
damage  many  of  our  garden  crops,  and  cause  the 
various  rots,  blights  and  mildews.  Among  them 
we  have  the  potato  rot,  the  tomato  rot,  the  celery 
blight,  the  bean  rust,  the  strawberry  rust,  the 
lettuce  mildew,  the  melon  vine  disease,  etc. 
Heat  ancf  moisture  favor  the  germination  of  the  spores  of  these 
fungi,  and  consequently  the  diseases  generally  develop  on  hot 
days  after  rains,  or  during  damp  sultry  weather.  Unfortunately 
there  is  hardly  a  cure  for  any  of  them  yet  suggested.  The  only 
safety  for  the  gardener,  in  this  matter,  lies  in  prevention,  and  here 
again,  as  in  the  case  of  insects,  we  must  look  to  change  of  loca- 
tion— planting  at  the  greatest  possible  distance  from  any  ground 
where  the  same  vegetable  was  grown  before,  as  to  the  first 
feasible  preventive  measure  to  be  adopted.  Even  this,  as  in  the 
analogous  case  of  insects,  is  not  an  absolute  protection,  and  the 
great  difficulty  here  is  that  we  have  no  means  to  anticipate  an 
attack  of  such  diseases  with  any  degree  of  certainty. 

In  all  localities  where  diseases  of  this  character  are  prevail- 
ing to  some  extent,  we  may  generally  expect  them  late  in  July 
or  August,  when  hot  weather  is  following  after  warm  rains,  and 
here  prudence  would  dictate  the  use  of  precautionary  measures. 
The  trouble  again  is  that  so  little  definite  information  on  the  most 
effective  germicides,  and  the  most  convenient  mode  of  application 
is  yet  developed,  and  I  will  have  to  content  myself  with  merely 
making  suggestions. 

SULPHATE  OF  COPPER. — This  salt  (blue  vitriol  or  blue 
stone),  in  simple  solution  or  in  various  compounds,  has  just  been 
recognized  as  a  preventive  of  the  dreaded  mildew  and  black  rot 
in  grapes,  and  also  shown  its  efficacy  in  destroying  the  vitality 
of  other  fungus  spores.  It  must  be  remembered,  however,  that 
this  kills  the  germs  and  prevents  their  starting  into  life,  but  has 
(104) 


Fungus  Diseases  of  Plants. — 105 

no  effect  on  them  after  the  thread-like  mycelium  (as  the  roots  of 
fungi  are  called)  has  once  entered  the  tissues  of  the  attacked 
leaf,  stalk  or  berry. 

The  copper  and  lime  compound  (Bordeaux  mixture  or  copper 
mixture  of  Gironde)  is  now  regarded  as  the  most  effective  means 
against  infection  in  case  of  grape  diseases.  For  the  vegetable  grower 
who  wishes  to  employ  blue  vitriol  as  preventive  of  potato  rot, 
celery  blight,  melon  vine  disease,  etc.,  I  would  advise  to  use  the 
modified  form  of  eau  celeste,  as  most  convenient  to  apply,  safe 
and,  I  believe,  effective.  I  have  made  and  used  it  as  follows, 
viz. :  One  pound  of  copper  sulphate  is  dissolved  in  a  gallon  of 
hot  water,  and  liquid  commercial  ammonia,  a  little  at  a  time, 
added  until  the  copper  is  all  precipitated  at  the  bottom  of  the 
vessel.  Now  three  gallons  of  water  are  added,  and  the  whole 
allowed  to  settle.  The  clear  liquid  on  top,  which  contains  sul- 
phate of  ammonia — the  substance  liable  to  burn  tender  foliage 
even  worse  than  rust — must  be  poured  off,  when  the  precipitate 
(copper)  is  dissolved  by  the  addition  of  a  little  more  ammonia. 
This  gives  us  a  clear  liquid  of  a  beautiful  deep-blue  color ;  and 
when  ready  for  use,  it  is  diluted  to  22  gallons.  The  gardener 
fortunate  enough  to  have  a  spraying  apparatus,  can  now  apply  it 
to  potatoes,  celery  and  melon  and  cucumber  vines,  or  other 
plants  subject  to  the  attacks  of  fungus  diseases.  This  should  be 
done  early  in  the  season,  before  the  germination  of  any  of  the 
spores  can  take  place,  and  repeated  at  least  every  ten  days  or  two 
weeks  during  the  period  of  danger.  Celery  leaf  blight  develops 
most  rapidly  during  hot  and  dry  weather,  but  having  once 
obtained  a  firm  foothold  in  a  plant  or  patch,  remains  sometimes  even 
during  the  cool  and  moist  fall  weather,  otherwise  so  well  suited 
to  the  wants  of  celery.  Applications  of  eau  celeste  may  check, 
but  will  not  eradicate  it,  and  the  only  hope  is  in  making 
them  early  and  often  enough,  i.  e.,  using  them  merely  as  a 
preventive. 

In  the  absence  of  a  spraying  apparatus  the  application  can 
be  made  with  a  whisk  broom,  the  vine  and  plant  sprinkler 
mentioned  in  preceding  chapter,  or  with  a  fine  rose  garden 
sprinkler,  but  will  be  more  wasteful  and  expensive. 

Tomato  Rot. — The  abundant  use  of  stable  manure  seems  to 
predispose  tomato  plants  to  the  attacks  of  rot,  but  some  varieties 
appear  to  be  more  liable  to  take  the  disease  than  others,  and 
feeble  plants  less  so  than  very  vigorous  ones.  Sulphate  of 
potassium  in  solution  (one-half  ounce  to  the  gallon  of  water) 
applied  by  means  of  a  spraying  apparatus,  taking  care  to 
thoroughly  wet  all  parts  of  the  fruit,  is  recommended  as  a  remedy. 
The  first  application  should  be  made  on  the  half-grown  fruit, 
and  the  operation  repeated  at  intervals  of  ten  days  or  two  weeks 
until  the  fruit  begins  to  color. 


io6 — How  to  Make  the  Garden  Pay. 

Lettuce  Mildew. — The  mildew  which  is  often  so  very  trouble- 
some and  destructive  on  lettuce  grown  under  glass  will  have  to 
be  treated  in  a  different  way.  In  the  first  place  we  should  aim 
to  surround  the  crop  in  greenhouse  or  hot-bed  with  the  same 
conditions  which  nature  provides  in  early  spring  to  the  outdoor 
crop,  in  other  words,  grow  them  in  a  natural  way,  especially  in 
a  cool  atmosphere.  Heat  from  the  air,  I  believe,  is  better  than 
bottom  heat.  The  temperature  should  not  be  much  above  40 
degrees  at  night,  nor  70  degrees  during  the  day.  Lettuce  needs 
plenty  of  moisture,  but  water  should  be  withheld  on  cloudy 
days,  and  drainage  be  perfect.  Always  water  in  the  morning  of 
bright  days.  Applications  of  nitrate  of  soda,  and  perhaps  of 
potash  also,  will  render  the  plants  vigorous  and  mildew-resisting. 

A  sure  and  easily  applied  remedy  is  the  one  suggested  by 
the  Massachusetts  Experiment  Station  (Prof.  Maynard),  and 
consists  in  keeping  a  kettle  or  basin  of  sulphur  (brimstone) 
heated  to  nearly  the  boiling  point,  in  the  forcing  house  for  three 
or  four  hours  twice  or  three  times  a  week.  Enough  sulphur 
must  be  evaporated  to  fill  the  room  with  vapor  so  that  it  will 
be  visible,  and  give  a  perceptible  odor  of  sulphur.  It  might  be 
well  to  advise  great  caution  in  the  use  of  sulphur  to  avoid  its 
taking  fire,  for  the  fumes  of  burning  sulphur  will  quickly  destroy 
all  plant  life,  and  a  few  .minutes  of  burning  might  result  in  the 
loss  of  the  whole  crop  in  the  building. 

From  the  testimony  of  Prof.  Thos.  B.  Meehan  we  have  no 
reason  to  doubt  that  a  paint  of  sulphur  and  linseed  oil,  put  on 
the  hot  water  or  steam  pipes  in  the  greenhouse,  will  effectively 
prevent  the  appearance  of  lettuce  and  other  mildews.  Besides 
these  there  are  other  promising  preventives  worthy  of  trial.  I 
think  that  the  mildew  will  be  likely  to  stay  away  if  the  ground 
is  given  a  liberal  wetting  with  a  one  per  cent,  solution  of  sulphate 
of  iron  (green  copperas)  before  or  shortly  after  setting  the  plants. 
The  new  germicide  naphtaline,  costing  only  a  few  cents  per 
pound,  may  also  be  given  a  trial.  It  is  not  soluble,  but  very 
volatile,  and  a  little  box  of  it  kept  in  the  room  will  fill  it  with 
its  penetrating  vapor,  and  unquestionably  prevent  the  germina- 
tion of  the  mildew  spores.  The  odor,  however,  like  that  of 
carbolic  acid,  is  offensive  to  many  persons. 

Melon-leaf  Blight.  The  fungus  disease  which  attacks  mel- 
ons, cucumbers,  and  other  vines,  and  is  as  destructive  as  it  is  a 
common  visitor  all  over  the  United  States,  is  often  confounded 
with  the  work  of  the  squash  borer.  The  vines,  generally  on  a 
hot  day  after  a  rainy  spell,  show  signs  of  wilting,  and  gradually 
wither  away,  the  leaves  appearing  as  scorched,  and  soon  death 
ensues.  Wetting  the  ground  with  the  copperas  solution  as 
mentioned  for  lettuce  mildew,  and  naphtaline  scattered  among  the 
vines,  may  prove  effective  as  preventives,  and  these  measures 


Fungus  Diseases  of  Plants. — 107 

deserve  a  trial.  Vines  under  glass,  or  otherwise  under  cover,  are 
exempt,  as  are  grape-vines,  similarly  protected,  exempt  from 
attacks  of  mildew  and  rot.  Covering  the  plants  lightly  with  hay 
or  similar  material  is  said  to  be  a  reasonably  sure  preventive. 


CHAPTER  XX. 

SEEDS  AND  SEED  SOWING. 

BY   MACHINE   AND    BY   HAND. 
"  Good  seed  brings  a  glad  harvest." 

OOD  seed  is  one  of  the  essential  conditions  of  suc- 
cess in  growing  garden  stuff,  and  to  secure  it  is 
well  worth  considerable  trouble  and  effort.  Com- 
pared with  the  results,  particularly  with  the  great 
difference  in  the  outcome  of  one  kind  of  seed  and 
of  another,  the  greater  expense  of  a  reliable  article 
is  not  worth  taking  into  consideration.  A  few 
cents'  difference  in  cost  of  seed  may  make  many 
dollars'  difference  in  the  returns.  When  a  whole  crop  and  its 
quality  is  at  stake,  there  is  no  wisdom  in  running  the  slightest 
risk  for  the  sake  of  a  small  saving  in  the  expense.  Cheap  seed 
'is  not  necessarily  poor;  but  poor  seed  is  always  a  costly  invest- 
ment. The  fact  is  that  seed  of  really  first-class  quality  cannot  be 
grown  profitably  at  very  low  figures,  and  the  only  judicious 
course  to  follow  is  to  buy  of  a  strictly  reliable  source,  and  be 
willing  to  pay  a  reasonable  price.  Would  you  take  a  medicine 
that  happens  to  be  on  hand,  merely  for  the  sake  of  saving  it  ?  It 
is  a  no  more  foolish  proceeding  than  to  use  seeds  because  you 
happen  to  have  them,  or  can  get  them  at  little  or  no  expense. 
Never  plant  a  seed  of  the  superior  character  and  quality  of  \\hich 
you  are  not  reasonably  certain.  Little  difficulty  will  be  exper- 
ienced if  any  one  is  anxious  to  purchase  reliable  garden  seeds,  since 
there  are  many  firms  of  established  reputation  whose  goods  can 
be  depended  upon  for  quality  and  purity.  All  the  larger  repu- 
table houses  send  out  no  seed  except  that  of  the  purity  and 
reliability  of  which  they  are  tolerably  sure,  and  only  after  testing 
and  approving  of  its  vitality. 

I  cannot  warn  too  emphatically  against  putting  reliance  on 
the  seeds  sold  on  commission  by  grocers  and  hardware  dealers. 
It  is  obvious  that  in  buying  such  seeds  you  will  have  to  pay  for 
the  services  of  the  middleman,  while  a  direct  deal  with  the 
seedsman  will  probably  insure  some  saving  in  the  expense.  But 
this  is  only  a  minor  benefit  derived  from  this  direct  deal.  When 
only  one-third  of  the  packets  contained  in  the  commission  boxes 
are  sold,  it  is  plain  that  the  dealer  cannot  afford  to  throw  the 
two-thirds  left  over  away,  but,  as  a  matter  of  self-preservation, 
(108) 


Seeds  and  Seed  Sowing. — 109 

must  put  the  stale  stuff  on  sale  again  and  again  until  sold.  Con- 
sequently, you  are  never  sure  whether  the  seeds  you  buy  from  such 
sources  are  one  or  five  years  old,  and  this  also  accounts  for  the 
frequency  of  the  complaints  about  "seed  that  will  not  grow." 
While  it  is  true  that  we  run  little  risk  of  obtaining  stale  seeds 
when  dealing  directly  with  our  reputable  large  firms,  complaints 
about  the  lack  of  vitality  in  seeds  are  by  no  means  uncommon; 
but  I  am  quite  sure  that  more  generally  the  responsibility  rests 
with  the  party  who  sows  the  seed,  rather  than  with  the  seed  itself, 
or  the  man  who  sold  it. 

PRINCIPLES  OF  GERMINATION. — Much  stress  has  recently  been 
laid  upon  the  importance  of  using  the  feet  in  firming  the  soil 
over  the  newly-sown  seed.  I  am  inclined  to  deem  the  use  of 
the  head  in  seed  sowing  of  still  greater  consequence.  Any  one 
who  has  a  thorough  understanding  of  the  principles  involved, 
and  follows  the  dictates  of  common-sense  in  their  practical 
application,  will  have  no  difficulty  in  getting  live  seed  to  ger- 
minate, whether  he  makes  use  of  his  feet  in  sowing  the  seed  and 
firming  the  soil,  or  not.  Yet  in  a  large  number  of  cases  the 
practice  is  decidedly  commendable,  and  will  often  insure  success 
where  the  unskilled  would  otherwise  fail.  What  are  these 
principles  ? 

Moisture,  a  certain  degree  of  heat  (varying  with  different 
seeds),  access  of  air,  and  absence  of  light — these  are  the  chief 
requirements.  How  can  we  best  supply  them  ? 

The  warmth  generated  by  the  sun  rays  is. our  chief  reliance 
for  the  needed  high  temperature  in  open-air  culture,  without 
artificial  assistance ;  and  only  in  culture  under  glass  do  we  resort 
to  various  devices  to  save,  augment  or  supplement  this  heat, 
either  by  the  prevention  of  loss  through  radiation  from  the  soil, 
by  sash  covering  alone,  or  in  combination  with  additional  arti- 
ficial heat  from  fermenting  manures,  flues,  or  pipes. 

Constant  but  moderate  supply  of  moisture  is  another  chief 
point,  and  to  insure  it,  the  seed  should  be  bedded  in  mellow 
soil,  and  this  packed  around  it  just  firm  enough  to  bring  it  in 
actual  contact  with  it,  and  facilitate  and  make  sure  of  capillary 
action.  If  left  loose  over  and  around  the  seed,  the  capillary 
movement  of  the  soil  water  would  here  come  to  a  stop,  the 
pulverized  soil  dry  out  in  a  sunshiny  day  and,  depriving  the  seed 
of  the  needed  moisture,  prevent  its  germination,  or  kill  the  sprout 
if  this  has  already  started  into  life.  Excess  of  moisture  should 
also  be  avoided.  v 

On  the  other  hand,  the  soil  must  not  be  compact  enough 
above  the  seed  to  hinder  the  upward  passage  of  the  young  sprout. 
This  is  a  prolific  cause  of  failure  with  seeds.  While  having 
considerable  force,  yet  the  tiny  plants  only  too  often  choke  and 
die  because  unable  to  penetrate  a  hardened  crust  of  soil.  This 


no — How  to  Make  the  Garden  Pay. 

consideration  makes  it  necessary  that  the  ground  be  well  pre- 
pared, and  thoroughly  mellowed  before  seed  is  sown,  and  that 
the  latter  be  not  placed  deeper  than  would  correspond  with  its 
vital  force.  Large  seeds,  of  course,  have  greater  life  force,  and 
for  this  reason  can  be  planted  deeper  than  small  seeds,  from 
which  comparatively  weakly  sprouts  are  issuing. 

Seeds  will  not  sprout  in  the  absence  of  air,  and  if  planted 
very  deep,  may  remain  dormant  in  the  soil  for  years,  but  when 
brought  nearer  the  surface,  and  thereby  exposed  to  the  oxidizing 
influence  of  the  air,  will  at  once  start  into  life.  This  explains 
why  only  the  weed  seeds  near  the  surface  grow,  while  those 
lying  deeper  wait  until  plow  or  other  implements  bring  them  up 
within  the  life-giving  influence  of  air  and  warmth. 

The  rule  usually  given  is  to  plant  all  seeds  as  deep  as  their 
own  diameter,  but  it  is  a  rule  more  or  less  deviated  from.  Most 
of  the  common  garden  seeds  are  planted  about  one  inch  deep, 
except  such  as  celery,  small  herb  seeds,  etc.,  that  are  left  very 
near  the  surface.  Peas  may  be  put  from  2  to  4  inches  deep, 
potatoes  trom  3  to  4  inches,  corn  from  2  to  3  inches,  etc. 

PLANTING  IN  HARD  SOIL. — It  is  comparatively  easy  to  make 
seeds  germinate  in  sand,  sandy  loam,  muck,  or  soil  rich  in  vege- 
table mold.  But  when  the  ground  is  clayey,  and  it  must  be 
feared  that  it  will  pack  so  tight  and  close,  or  bake  so  hard,  that 
the  tiny  plants  will  not  be  able  to  break  through,  the  shrewd 
gardener  can  yet  succeed  by  means  of  the  more  liberal  use  of 
seed.  What  a  single  plant  is  unable  to  accomplish,  may  be  but 
play  for  the  combined  efforts  of  a  number  of  them.  The  safest 
way  when  dealing  with  soil  in  this  unfavorable  condition,  is  to 
sow  the  seed  very  thickly  ;  and  while  this  involves  a  greater 
expense  for  seed,  it  insures  a  full  stand,  and  chances  for  a  full 
crop  without  adding  other  disadvantages,  as  thinning  is  needed 
in  either  case  and  requires  about  the  same  amount  of  labor 
whether  you  have  three  plants  to  the  inch  or  six. 

The  dried  out  soil  in  and  after  mid-season  sometimes  proves 
quite  an  obstacle  to  the  ready  germination  of  seed  sown  at  that 
time ;  but  the  grower  who  takes  the  precaution  to  sow  immedi- 
ately after  the  ground  is  prepared  for  it,  to  deposit  the  seed 
somewhat  deeper  than  generally  done  in  early  spring  sowing,  and 
to  firm  the  soil  very  carefully  after  sowing,  will  usually  have  no 
difficulty  to  make  good  seed  come  up  speedily.  Always  sow  in 
freshly  stirred  ground — this  is  a  most  excellent  rule,  and  deserves 
to  be  strictly  followed  in  all  cases,  and  for  spring,  summer,  or 
autumn  sowing.  It  will  seldom  fail  to  insure  success,  as  long  as 
there  is  life  in  the  seed,  and  the  least  moisture  in  the  soil. 

SOWING  SEED  WITH  GARDEN  DRILL. — When  the  ground  is 
prepared  so  thoroughly  that  the  drill  works  to  best  advantage,  it  is 
usually  also  in  best  condition  for  the  germination  of  seeds.  Let 


Seeds  and  Seed  Sowing. — in 

the  whole  surface  be  mellow  and  even.  This  is  easily  accom- 
plished in  a  clean  loam,  sand  or  muck.  Often  the  only  tools 
required  are  plow  and  smoothing  harrow.  In  most  cases  the 
roller  can  be  used  alternately  with  the  harrow  to  good  advantage, 
and  the  surface  thus  made  perfect ;  but  on  less  friable  soil,  and  if 
no  Meeker  disk  harrow  is  at  hand,  the  finishing  touch  must  be 
given  with  a  good  steel  rake.  On  clayey  and  very  lumpy 
ground  the  preparation  will  require  more  labor,  if  not  a  greater 
variety  of  tools.  The  Disk  or  Cutaway  harrow  can  be  used  to 
break  up  the  lumps,  and  to  bring  the  surface  in  proper  shape  for 
the  smoothing  harrow.  This  may  be  followed  with  a  Meeker 
(small  disk)  harrow,  and  the  latter,  if  properly  used,  leaves  the 
ground  as  smooth  as  if  raked  over  by  hand. 

Straight  rows  make  the  garden  attractive,  hence  it  is  always 
preferable  to  mark  off  the  rows  of  the  desired  width,  or  at  least 
make  a  perfectly  straight  mark,  or  draw  a  line  for  the  first  row, 
and  then  use  the 
marker  attached  to 
the  drill,  always 
trying  to  correct 
any  deviation  from 
the  straight  line. 
The  small  roller 
back  of  the  seed 
coverers  firms  the 
soil,  when  properly 
prepared,  suffi- 
ciently to  make  the 
use  of  the  feet  for 
this  purpose  en- 
tirely superfluous. 

SOWING  BvH  AND. 
— For  the  home 
garden,  and  where 
only  small  quanti- 
ties of  any  one 
variety  are  planted, 
as  in  test  plats  for 
instance,  the  use  of 
the  drill  is  hardly  desirable,  and  hand  sowing  is  far  preferable. 
A  little  practice  will  enable  any  one  of  average  skill  to  make  a 
clean  job  of  it.  The  rows  are  marked  out  with  the  garden 
marker,  and  the  operator,  taking  the  seed  paper  in  left  hand, 
walks  along  the  row  and  drops  the  seed  evenly  from  the  right 
hand  held  in  the  position  shown  in  picture.  The  little  finger 
and  its  neighbor  form  a  sort  of  receptacle  for  a  quantity  of.  seed 
which  gradually  works  down,  and  is  evenly  dropped  by  the 


Sowing  Seed  by  Hand,  Covering  and  Firming. 


ii2— How  to  Make  the  Garden  Pay. 

other  three  fingers,  through  a  rubbing  motion  of  the  thumb 
against  the  next  two  fingers.  A  person  can  easily  learn  to  sow 
in  this  way  nearly  as  evenly  and  uniformly  as  is  done  by  the  use 
of  the  drill. 

The  covering  is  done  by  simply  drawing  a  steel  rake  length- 
wise over  each  row,  and  the  firming  either  by  the  use  of  the  feet, 
or  by  patting  with  the  back  of  the  rake.  My  favorite  practice  is 
to  rake  in  the  seed  of  the  first  row,  then  while  plying  the  rake 
over  the  second  row,  to  walk  on  the  first  row,  thus  firming  it, 
next,  while  covering  the  third  row,  to  walk  on  the  second,  etc. 
Covering  and  firming  all  at  one  time,  can  also  be  done  without 
rake,  and  by  the  use  of  the  feet  alone. 

Some  of  the  very  fine  seeds,  like  celery,  need  particularly 
careful  handling.  The  drill  marks  are  made  very  shallow,  the 
seed  sown  rather  thickly,  and  the  soil  merely  firmed  by  the  use 
of  the  feet,  or  back  of  rake.  Special  devices  are  sometimes  used 
for  very  small  seeds,  such  as  covering  the  soil  after  seed  is  sown 
and  lightly  covered,  with  a  pane  of  glass  or  piece  of  cloth,  etc., 
and  this  left  on  until  the  young  plants  appear  above  ground. 

VITALITY  OF  SEEDS. — In  a  general  way  I  am  by  no  means 
opposed  to  the  use  of  old  seeds,  when  such  are  at  hand,  and  a 
thorough  test  proves  that  a  large  per  cent,  of  them  will  grow 
readily.  This  latter  is  the  chief  point  of  importance.  Much 
theoretical  matter  has  recently  been  written  upon  the  different 
behavior  of  plants  from  new  and  old  seed,  as  for  instance,  that  new 
seed  tends  to  produce  foliage,  and  old  seed,  fruit  and  seed,  etc. 
This  difference  in  practice,  however,  is  too  small  to  deserve  more 
than  passing  notice.  As  a  rule,  new  seeds  germinate  more  promptly 
than  old  seeds  do,  and  this  is  one  advantage  at  least  in  favor  of 
the  former.  I  have  not  been  able  to  discover  that  the  new  cab- 
bage seeds  produce  larger  heads  than  seed. of  the  same  variety, 
grown  by  the  same  person  the  year  before ;  nor  that  old  melon 
seed  gives  ripe  melons  a  day  in  advance  of  new  seed  of  the 
same  variety.  The  different  kinds  of  seed  vary  greatly  in  the 
time  they  retain  their  vitality,  and  much  also  depends  on  the 
condition  in  which  they  are  gathered  and  stored.  Onion  seed, 
for  instance,  is  not  considered  reliable  the  second  season ;  yet  I 
have  known  a  sample  kept  over  until  second  season  in  a  tight 
paper  bag  in  the  garret,  to  contain  85  per  cent,  live,  vigorous  seed. 
Properly  ripened  and  gathered  seed,  preserved  under  average 
favorable  conditions,  will  retain  its  vitality  as  follows  : 
Anise 3  years.  Borage 8  years. 


Artichoke,  Globe 6 

Asparagus 5 

Balm 4 

Basil 8 

Bean 6 

Beet  .  6 


Borecole  or  Kale 5 

Broccoli 5 

Brussels  Sprouts 5 

Cabbage 5 

Caraway  ...  ....  3 

Cardoon 7 


Seeds  and  Seed  Sowing. — 113 


VITALITY  OF  SEEDS. — Continued. 


Carrot  ........  4  to  5  years. 

Cauliflower 5 

Celery 8 

Chervil 2  to  3 

Chicory 8 

Coreander 6 

Corn 2 

Corn  Salad 4 

Cresses     5 

Cucumbers 10 

Dandelion 2 

Dill 3 

Egg  Plant 6 

Endive 10 

Fennel 4 

Hyssop 3 

Kohl  Rabi 5 

Lavender 5 

Leek 3 

Lettuce 5 

Sweet  Marjoram 3 

Martynia I  to  2 

Melon 5 


Mustard 4  years. 

Nasturtium 5 

Okra 5 

Onion I  to  2 

Parsley 3 

Parsnip i  to  2 

Peas 3 

Peanut     i 

Pepper     4 

Radish 5 

Rhubarb 3 

Rosemary 4 

Rue 2 

Sage 3 

Salsify      2 

Summer  Savory 3 

Scorzonera 2 

Sea  Kale i 

Spinach 5 

Squash 4  to  5 

Thyme 3 

Tomato 4 

Turnip 5 


Some  of  these  seeds,  like  melon,  pumpkin,  etc.,  often  grow 
readily  even  after  having  passed  the  stated  limit  of  years  ;  but  all 
are  liable  to  fail  much  sooner  if  indifferently  kept.  Such  seeds 
as  onions,  parsnips,  egg  plant,  for  instance,  should  always  be 
regarded  with  suspicion  except  when  strictly  fresh. 

In  the  matter  of  quantity  of  seed  to  be  required  for  a  certain 
length  of  drill,  it  is  usually  safer  to  follow  common  sense  than 
any  of  the  directions  found  in  books,  papers  and  catalogues.  The 
aim  must  be  to  insure  a  full  stand  in  the  drill.  Fairly  heavy 
seeding  will  be  the  means  to  this  end ;  but  a  sufficiency  may  mean 
more  or  less,  according  to  conditions  of  soil  and  seed  itself.  The 
gardener's  own  good  judgment  should  be  the  best  safeguard 
against  his  going  to  either  extreme. 


CHAPTER  XXL 

NOVELTIES, 

AND   WHY   WE   TEST   THEM. 
At  our  gates  are  all  manner  of  pleasant  fruits,  new  and  old." 

iAN'S  mind  was  not  intended  to  rest  content 
with  any  thing  short  of  perfection — hence  his 
ardent  and  never-ceasing  desire  to  better  all 
his  surroundings  and  conditions.  Not  idle 
curiosity  merely,  but  the  almost  divine  longing 
to  do  away  with  imperfections  wherever  we 
find  them,  is  what  makes  us  take  such  an 
interest  in  promising  novelties,  and  look  so 
kindly  upon  every  effort  toward  the  improvement  of  fruits  and 
vegetables,  and  what  renders  the  "  testing  of  new  things  "  so 
attractive  and  charming.  It  is  true  that  the  great  majority  of 
novelties  introduced  with  high  claims  of  superior  merits  develop 
such  shortcomings,  after  thorough  test,  that  they  are  quickly 
thrown  aside  again,  and  soon  forgotten.  But  the  acquisition  of 
a  single  worthy  new  thing  often  pays  a  royal  compensation  for 
all  the  disappointments  caused  by  a  large  number  of  novelties 
that  prove  without  value.  I  will  cite  as  one  instance,  that  of  the 
"  Prizetaker  "  onion,  introduced  by  Mr.  Wm.  Henry  Maule,  of 
Philadelphia,  in  1888.  The  little  package  of  seed  I  got  then 
enabled  me  to  raise  about  one-half  bushel  or  more  of  the  most 
beautiful  bulbs  that  it  had  ever  been  my  pleasure  to  see  growing, 
and  the  satisfaction  I  got  out  of  their  possession,  and  out  of  the 
opportunities  to  show  the  growing  crop  to  visitors,  would  have 
made  up  very  largely  for  many  failures.  I  think  I  would  not 
have  missed  the  chance  of  growing  the  Prizetaker  in  1888,  and  of 
planting  more  largely  in  1889,  for  a  number  of  times  the  cost  of  all 
the  novelties  I  planted  that  season.  It  was  a  similar  thing  with 
the  Emerald  Gem  Melon,  Dwarf  Champion  Tomato,  etc. 

Some  of  these  novelties  mark  more  or  less  decided  steps  in 
advance.  Let  us  look  back  upon  the  tomato  varieties  of  30  or 
even  25  years  ago — small,  poor,  seedy,  irregular,  late.  Then 
came  novelty  upon  novelty  in  quick  succession,  each  better  than 
its  predecessor — General  Grant,  Canada  Victor,  Trophy,  Paragon, 
Acme,  Perfection,  Potato  Leaf,  Dwarf  Champion,  Lorillard,  etc., 
until  now  we  have  reached  a  state  of  perfection  in  tomatoes  that 
leaves  room  for  distrust  in  our  ability  to  originate  anything 
better  than  we  at  present  possess. 
(H4) 


Novelties. — 115 

Verily  there  is  pleasure  in  testing  novelties,  and  the  fact  that 
some  turn  out  good,  and  others  not,  only  adds  interest  and  spice 
to  the  undertaking.  We  have  the  satisfaction,  also,  to  know 
that  nobody  has  better  things  in  vegetables  than  we  have,  and 
that  we  get  the  very  best  just  as  soon  as  anybody  else  has  it. 
It  gives  us  the  proud  consciousness  of  belonging  to  the  better- 
situated  and  progressive  minority. 

For  the  market  gardener  quite  often  there  is  money  in  test- 
ing novelties.  If  a  new  radish  comes  out  that  is  a  day  or  two 
earlier  than  any  we  had  before,  or  a  new  spinach  that  will  stand 
the  summer  heat  a  few  days  longer  than  the  older  sorts,  he  may 
by  another  season  be  enabled  to  turn  such  knowledge  to  best 
account  financially.  The  home  gardener,  of  course,  gets  only 
his  satisfaction  and  pleasure  for  his  pay,  and  the  depth  of  his 
purse  must  determine  to  what  extent  he  can  afford  to  invest  in 
novelties.  People  who  find  it  extremely  difficult  to  make  both 
ends  meet,  and  are  forced  to  practice  strictest  economy,  should 
not  attempt  to  test  novelties  except  on  a  small  scale,  and  in  a 
cautious  manner. 


CHAPTER  XXII. 

SYSTEM  AND  ROTATION  OF  CROPPING. 
"  Gardener's,  like  woman's,  work  is  never  done." 

N  various  occasions  in  this  work  I  have  already 
alluded  to  the  necessity  of  maintaining  a  strict 
system  of  cropping,  changing  every  year,  if 
possible,  or  with  some  crops,  like  onions,  at  least  at 
intervals  of  a  reasonable  number  of  years.  Rota- 
tion is  useful  in  the  prevention  of  fungus  diseases 
of  plants,  and  in  rendering  it  more  difficult  for  insects 
to  discover  our  patches  of  just  the  vegetables  they 
live  on,  thus  in  a  measure  insuring  the  safety  of  our  crops.  For 
the  latter  reason  we  should  not  plant  vegetables  in  succession 
which  are  subject  to  the  attack  of  the  same  insect  or  insects,  like 
radishes,  turnips,  cabbages,  cauliflower,  kohl-rabi  and  onions. 
All  these  are  attacked  both  by  the  flea  beetle  and  the  maggot. 
Egg  plants  cannot  be  safely  planted  where  potatoes  were  grown 
the  year  before,  etc. 

CLOSE  CROPPING. — A  system  of  close  cropping,  advisable  even 
in  the  home  garden  for  the  sake  of  keeping  it  in  best  order  and 
most  attractive  all  through  the  season,  and  the  weeds  in  subjec- 
tion in  a  very  convenient  manner,  is  absolutely  necessary  for  the 
market  gardener  who  must  make  the  most  of  his  opportunities. 
High-priced  lands  cannot  be  left  to  lay  idle  even  a  small  part  of  the 
season.  The  early  peas,  and  lettuce,  and  radishes,  and  spinach, 
and  early  potatoes  and  other  first  early  crops  can  be  followed  by 
cucumbers,  melons,  celery,  spinach,  summer  and  winter  radishes, 
late  cabbage,  sweet  corn,  turnips,  tomatoes,  peppers,  sweet  pota- 
toes, or  whatever  crop  having  yet  time  to  come  to  maturity  may 
be  thought  to  pay  best.  New  Jersey  gardeners  often  plant  a  late 
crop  of  common  (Irish)  potatoes  after  strawberries.  In  fact,  the 
ground  can,  and  should,  be  kept  producing  some  useful  crop  from 
early  spring  until  winter,  and  then  it  may  be  made  to  carry 
spinach  or  kale,  further  south,  onions,  lettuce,  cabbages,  etc.,  either 
in  actual  growing  condition,  or  dormant  until  spring. 

A  rotation  of  crops  is  also  demanded  in  the  interest  of  strictest 
economy  in  feeding  them.     Different  crops  need  different  propor- 
tions  of  the  food  elements,  and  the  same  crop  grown  to  the 
exclusion    of  others  is   liable  to  exhaust   the  soil  of  just  the 
(116) 


System  and  Rotation  of  Cropping. — 117 

element  which  it  prefers  to  others ;  in  other  words,  to  disturb 
the  proper  balance  of  soil  fertility.  A  judicious  system  of  rota- 
tion prevents  all  this.  The  home  gardener  should  also  pay 
attention  to  this  point,  and  change  the  location  of  each  particular 
crop  as  far  as  the  limited  extent  of  the  area  will  permit. 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 

WEEDS  AND  HOW  TO  MANAGE  THEM. 
"  A  stroke  in  time  saves  nine." 

|  LOSE  cropping  with  thorough  culture  as  practiced 
by  every  good  market  gardener,  and  worthy  of 
imitation  by  every  home  gardener,  gives  very 
little  chance  to  weed  growth ;  and  where  weed 
seeds  are  not  carelessly  scattered  over  the  land,  in 
manure  or  by  other  agencies,  soon  renders  the 
originally  tedious  and  disagreeable  task  of  weed 
destruction  mere  child's  play.  The  weeds  grow 
less  with  every  year  of  thorough  cropping  and  cultivation.  On 
the  other  hand,  they  increase  in  number,  and  become  more  and 
more  troublesome  with  every  year  of  neglectful  culture,  and  with 
every  year  of  using  manures  that  are  full  of  foul  seeds.  Such 
manure  is  a  bad  investment  at  any  time,  and  for  any  crop,  but 
almost  ruinous  to  some  crops,  especially  onions  and  strawberries. 
Rather  than  use  weedy  manures  I  would  prefer  to  operate 
exclusively  with  concentrated  fertilizers,  supplemented  by  clover 
manuring,  thus  avoiding  all  this  serious  risk.  The  old  and 
somewhat  stale  saying,  "  One  year  of  seeding  makes  nine  years 
of  weeding,"  is  in  no  way  an  exaggeration  of  the  truth. 

Weed  destruction  is  not  the  sole,  nor  even  the  principal 
object  of  cultivation ;  but  weed  growth  may  often  be  considered 
almost  a  blessing  to  the  more  shiftless  manager  as  it  reminds  him 
of  the  necessity  to  stir  the  surface,  and  imperatively  demands,  at 
the  peril  of  the  whole  crop,  that  this  be  done. 

Where  cultivation  is  given  as  it  should  be,  namely,  as  a  mere 
stimulant,  not  a  destroyer  of  plant  growth,  and  for  the  purpose  of 
making  the  surface  soil  answer  for  a  mulch,  and  admitting  air 
freely  to  the  roots  of  plants,  this  constant  stirring  will  not  allow 
any  weed  seeds  to  do  more  than  just  germinate  and  die.  To 
kill  all  weeds  at  this  early  stage,  really  before  any  signs  of  them 
can  be  detected  above  ground  except  perhaps  to  an  unsually 
sharp  eye  and  close  observer/is  the  "  one  stitch  in  time  that  saves 
nine." 

Some  weeds  I  refuse  to  regard  as  a  blessing  under  any  cir- 
cumstances.    One  of  them  is  the  Canada  thistle.      This  curse  of 
the  farmer  of  which  it  is  next  to  impossible  for  him  to  rid  his 
fields  and  farm  crops,  after  a  neighborhood  has  once  become 
(118) 


Weeds  and  How  to  Manage  Them. — 119 


infested,  is  easily  eradicated  in  the  garden  by  constant  cultivation, 
and  if  necessary  by  the  use  of  hoe  and  knife,  preventing  all 
growth  of  the  weed  above  ground  for  a  single  season.  No  thistle 
root — nor  any  other  perennial  root — can  live  long  without  a 
chance  to  breathe.  Deprive  it  of  foliage  (its  lungs),  and  it  must 
die  from  asphyxiation.  Just  for  this  reason,  the  larger  biennials 
and  perennials,  the  thistles,  the  docks,  asclepias,  etc.,  give  the 
gardener  much  less  trouble  than  a  number  of  annuals.  Among 
the  latter,  we  have  the 
purslane  as  one  of  the 
most  troublesome ;  and 
in  July  and  August,  the 
gardener  frequently  has 
hard  work  to  make  head- 
way against  the  immense 
power  of  recuperation  and 
multiplication  of  these 
weeds.  Sometimes  there 
is .  only  one  sure  way — to 
gather  up  every  plant  in 
baskets  or  a  wheel-barrow, 
and  remove  them  from  the 
garden,  or  dig  holes  here 
and  there  over  the  patch, 
fill  up  with  the  weeds,  and  cover  with  soil.  Chickweed  is  another 
troublesome  thing,  and  it  should  be  treated  in  the  same  way. 
Wild  mustard  is  abundant  in  some  fields ;  but  it  can  easily  be 
eradicated  by  pulling  up  every  plant  for  a  few  years,  allowing 
not  one  to  ripen  and  scatter  its  seed. 

It  is  a  most  fortunate  thing  for  the  gardener  that  weeds  do 
not  take  an  early  start  in  spring.  Any  crop  sown  in  the  cool 
weather  of  March,  April  or  early  May  has  therefore  a  good 
chance  to  outgrow  the  weeds.  This  is  one  of  the  reasons,  also, 
that  speak  in  favor  of  very  early  sowing  of  onions,  carrots, 
parsley,  parsnips,  celery  and  similar  vegetables,  which  appear 
somewhat  feeble  at  first.  The  wheel-hoe  will  take  care  of  the 
weeds  between  the  rows  of  all  such  crops,  and  it  is  only  necessary 
to  pull  out  the  weeds  in  the  rows  by  hand  or  slash  them  out 


Lang's  Hand-weeder  in  use. 


Lang's  Hand-weeder.  Hazeltine's  Hand-weeder. 

with  a   hand-weeder,  such  as  Lang's,  Hazeltine's  or  Noye's,  or 
with  tools  similarly  constructed. 

To  learn  to  use  any  of  them  to  best  advantage  requires  a 
little  practice,  same  as  the  proper  use  of  almost  any  implement 
in  garden  or  field.  As  a  substitute  for  the  patented  concerns,  I 


i2o — How  to  Make  the  Garden  Pay. 

have  often  used  (or  given  to  my  weeders)  common  iron  spoons, 
broken  case  knives  properly  ground  to  an  edge  on  both  sides  and 
bent  in  the  shape  of  a  curve,  etc.  In  fact,  any  small  sharp-edged 
tool  can  be  utilized  as  a  hand-weeder,  and  in  very  mellow  soil  the 
ringers  alone  will  do  very  well.  The  process  of  hand-weeding,  of 
course,  has  to  be  repeated  as  often  as  weeds  re-appear,  and  if  the 
first  weeding  was  thoroughly  done,  the  subsequent  ones  do  not 
require  so  very  much  time  and  pains-taking  labor.  But  every 
weed  must  be  removed ;  they  are  no  blessing  in  any  sense,  and 
only  deprive  the  crop  of  moisture  (which  feature  is  their  worst) 
and  of  food. 

Many  of  the  annual  weeds  become  very  persistent  in  their 
efforts  toward  seed  ripening  in  latter  part  of  summer  and  early 
fall.  They  should  not  be  allowed  much  rest ;  for  if  you  give 
them  an  inch  they  will  be  sure  to  take  an  ell. 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 


THINNING  AND  TRANSPLANTING. 

"  CROWDED— CRIPPLED  !  " 

HE  liberal  use  of  seed  gives  us  the  desirable  full 
stand;  but  also  the  less  desirable  feature  of  a 
great  surplus  of  plants.  Every  plant,  not  required 
for  making  the  crop,  is  practically  a  weed,  as  it 
deprives  those  that  are  to  remain  of  moisture, 
food  and  room.  To  remove  the  superfluous, 
useless  eaters  and  drinkers  at  an  early  period  of 
development  is  just  as  essential  as  the  early 
removal  of  weeds.  Uniformity  of  vegetables-radishes,  beets,  onions, 
etc., — and  an  even  development  cannot  well  be  obtained  except 
by  giving  each  plant  in  the  row  a  uniform  and  reasonably  large 
amount  of  space.  The  annexed  figures  illustrate  the  contrast 
between  a  section  of  rows  where  the  crop  (onions)  was  thinned  at 
an  early  stage  of  growth,  and  one  where  thinning  is  neglected. 
The  market  gardener  whose  aim  is  in  the  direction  of  an  early 
crop — of  beets,  radishes,  etc.,  which  he  can  gather  all  at  once, 
clearing  the  rows  as 
he  goes  along,  and  thus 
having  them  ready  for 
a  successive  crop — has 
no  other  way  but  thin 
early  and  thoroughly. 
The  home  gardener 
may  do  this  work  grad- 
ually with  best  results. 
So  for  instance  in  case 
of  table  beets.  Instead 
of  thinning  all  at  once 
to  the  generally  recom- 
mended distance  of  4 
to  6  inches  apart,  the 
plants  may  at  first  be 
left  2  or  3  inches  apart ;  and  when  the  roots  have  grown  of  some 
size,  and  begin  to  crowd  each  other  in  the  row,  every  other  one 
be  removed,  giving  the  choicest  young  and  tender  table  beets, 
greens,  etc.  A  similar  course  can  be  adopted  with  lettuce,  and 

(121) 


Onions  properly  thinned. 


122 — How  to  Make  the  Garden  Pay. 

people  who  obtain  their  supply  of  vegetables  in  the  open  market 
have  no  idea  what  luxury  the  small  and  tender  hearts  of  half-grown 
lettuce  afford.  Try  it  once  by  thinning  drilled  lettuce  to  three 
or  four  inches  apart,  and  when  they  have  nicely  begun  to  head, 
pulling  up  every  other  plant,  and  preparing  just  the  young 
hearts  for  the  table.  These  are  some  of  the  pleasures  in  the 
garden  that  mere  money  cannot  buy. 

In  a  general  way  I  have  yet  to  add  that  the  proper  distances 
among  thinned  plants,  when  these  are  yet  very  small,  appear 
comparatively  large ;  and  sometimes  people  have  not  the  nerve 
to  slash  down  and  throw  away  thousands  of  nice  plants  which 
as  yet,  appear  to  have  an  abundance  of  rocm.  But  this  has  to 
be  done.  Whatever  distance  is  decided  upon  as  the  best  for  the 
particular  crop,  and  in  any  particular  case,  should  be  strictly 

adhered  to,  and  no 
foolish  sentimentality 
stand  in  the  way  of 
making  the  distances 
large  enough.  It  is 
much  safer  to  err  in 
favor  of  giving  too 
much  space,  than  in 
favor  of  too  little. 

TRANSPLANTING. — 
I  am  not  a  particular 
friend  of  transplanting, 
and  avoid  it  wherever 
I  can.  In  theory,  transplanting,  which  is  a  sort  of  root  pruning, 
induces  early  fruit  production  in  tomatoes,  egg  plants,  etc.,  early 
heading  in  lettuce,  cauliflower,  cabbage,  and  root  development, 
such  as  is  indispensable  in  good  plants  for  setting  outdoors.  For 
this  reason,  gardeners  practice,  and  writers  advocate,  repeated 
shifting,  repotting  or  transplanting  of  all  sorts  of  vegetable  plants, 
in  particular,  also,  of  tomato,  egg  plant,  peppers,  cabbage,  celery, 
etc.  In  practice,  transplanting,  with  its  unavoidable  root 
mutilation,  is  a  stab  at  the  plant's  vitality,  and  acts  as  a  more  or 
less  serious  check  to  its  growth,  thus  invariably  dwarfing  it  in 
some  measure.  Sometimes,  if  the  operation  was  done  under 
favorable  circumstances — in  a  moist  atmosphere,  arid  absence  of 
direct  sunlight — it  is  certainly  followed  by  earlier  fruit  production 
or  earlier  heading.  At  the  same  time  it  also  and  invariably 
results  in  reduced  size  of  plant  or  head,  and  reduced  aggregate 
yield  of  fruit.  Should  less  favorable  conditions  be  ruling  at  the 
time  of  the  transplanting  operation,  however,  the  atmosphere  be 
dry  and  the  sun  bright,  the  plant  will  receive  a  set-back  which 
cripples  and  retards  it  for  a  long  time,  so  that  the  untransplanted 
plant  will  come  even  sooner  to  maturity. 


Onions  left  unthinned. 


Thinning  and  Transplanting. — 123 

The  great  advantage  that  transplanted  plants  have  over 
untransplanted  ones,  is  the  greater  amount  of  space  which  people 
generally  allow  to  the  former.  Seedlings  are  grown  thickly  in 
the  row,  and  left  thickly.  In  transplanting,  the  space  is  given  to 
each  plant  that  properly  belongs 
to  it.  Let  this  be  done  with 
the  seedlings,  by  early  thinning 
to  the  proper  distance ;  or,  let 
the  seed  be  planted  in  a  pot  or 
can  large  enough,  leaving  only  a 
single  plant  to  grow ;  and  we 
can  thus  produce  plants  with  a 
well-developed  root  system,  and 
fully  the  equal  to  transplanted 
plants  in  every  respect.  This 
comparison,  of  course,  refers  to 
plants  started  from  seed  at  the 
same  time.  Much  higher  rates  are 
always  asked  for  "  transplanted  " 
cabbage  and  celery  plants,  than 
for  common  seedlings.  The 


Celery  plants  thinned  to  two 
inches  apart. 


former,  it  is  true,  are  usually  fine  plants,  with  large  roots  and 
stocky  tops,  and  well  worth  their  price.  I  obtain  just  as  good 
plants  by  growing  seedlings  thinly  in  drills.  All  seems  to 
depend  chiefly  on  the  amount  of  space  given  to  each  plant,  as 
may  be  seen  in  illustrations  of  celery  plants.  Well  grown,  untrans- 
planted plants  appear  to 
be  as  hardy  and  as  liable 
to  take  hold  of  the  soil 
in  their  new  quarters,  as 
those  that  have  been 
'  transplanted  once  or 
oftener,  and  they  cer- 
tainly can  be  grown 
much  more  cheaply 
rand  more  conveniently. 
Strong,  stocky  seedling 
ITT^N.  plants  are  good  enough 
in  any  case,  and  prefer- 
able to  poorly -grown 
transplanted  plants.  In 
determining  the  fruiting 
time  of  tomatoes,  pep- 
pers, egg  plants,  etc.,  rapid  growth  of  the  seedling,  favored  by 
proper  allowance  of  space,  however,  is  not  the  only,  and  perhaps 
not  even  the  chief  factor.  Age  of  the  plant  is  certainly  of  equal, 
if  not  superior,  influence.  For  this  reason,  the  plants  must  be 


A 


Celery  plants  irregularly  thinned. 


124 — How  to  Make  the  Garden  Pay. 

started  early,  and  as  the  production  of  seedlings  is  more  difficult, 
and  requires  so  much  longer  time  than  that  of  cabbage  plants, 
they  must  properly  be  started  in  "  flats "  or  hot-bed,  thickly 
together,  and  planted  out  at  an  early  age,  giving  the  space 
required  for  the  production  of  good  plants.  Even  in  this  opera- 
tion it  is  always  safest  to  select  the  most  favorable  conditions — 
moist  atmosphere  and  least  root  disturbance — and  thus  to  limit 
the  unavoidable  check  to  plant  growth  to  the  smallest  amount 
practicable. 

CONDITIONS  OF  SUCCESS  IN  TRANSPLANTING. — In  a  wet  season, 
or  during  a  wet  spell,  setting  out  plants  in  the  open  ground  is  an 
easy  enough  operation,  and  anybody,  no  matter  how  unskilled, 
can  succeed  without  effort.  During  a  prolonged  spell  of  heat 
and  drought — and  we  are  apt  to  have  such  at  the  season  for  setting 
celery  and  late  cabbages — the  gardener  often  finds  his  skill  and 
experience  put  to  a  severe  test  by  the  task.  A  supply  of  first- 
class  plants,  i.  e.,  such  as  were  grown  with  proper  allowance  of 
space  to  each  plant,  and  consequently  possess  a  fully-developed 
root  system  and  a  short,  stocky  top,  makes  success  reasonably 
certain  even  under  otherwise  unfavorable  conditions,  especially 
if  some  soil  be  left  adhering  to  the  roots  in  lifting  and  shifting. 
The  most  essential  requirement,  however,  in  any  case  is  that  the 
soil  be  moist,  not  wet  or  sticky,  but  so  that  it  will  easily  crumble 
between  the  hands.  If  the  soil  be  dry,  it  must  be  freshened  and 
moistened  by  artificial  watering,  or  failure  will  be  the  sure  result. 
Planting  in  dry  soil  is  usually  fatal,  even  if  water  be  applied 
afterwards.  Always  plant  in  freshly -stirred  soil,  is  as  good  a  rule 
as  the  similar  one  relating  to  seed  sowing. 

PUDDLING. — Simply  dipping  the  roots  of  plants  in  water  just 
before  setting  them,  is  fully  as  effective  as  the  famous  manipula- 
tion known  as  "  puddling  "  (dipping  in  thin  mud),  and  it  is  much 
cleaner,  more  convenient,  and  generally  preferable.  I,  myself, 
have  no  use  for  "  puddling,"  neither  for  vegetable,  nor  small  fruit 
plants  and  trees  ;  but  dipping  the  roots  in  clear  water,  just  before 
setting  the  plants,  is  a  precaution  which  I,  or  any  other  gardener, 
can  not  afford  to  neglect. 

FIRMING  THE  ROOTS. — Another  indispensable  requisite  in 
successful  transplanting  is  the  thorough  firming  of  the  soil  around 
the  roots.  It  should  be  packed  so  tightly  and  closely  that  parts 
of  the  plant  would  sooner  tear  off  than  allow  the  plant  to  be 
pulled  up  by  them.  It  is  advisable,  however,  to  draw  a  little 
loose  soil  as  a  kind  of  protection  and  mulch  up  over  the  firmed 
soil  and  around  the  plant,  and  in  very  dry  weather  the  latter  may  be 
well-nigh  covered  up  with  loose  soil  to  prevent  rapid  evaporation. 

SHORTENING  TOPS  AND  ROOTS. — Another  sensible  precaution 
in  dry  weather  is  the  trimming  or  shortening  in  of  the  tops  of 
cabbage,  celery  and  other  plants  when  getting  them  ready  for 


Thinning  and  Transplanting. — 125 

setting  out.  It  is  done  in  the  most  convenient  manner  by  taking 
a  bundle  of  plants  in  the  left  hand,  and  removing  about  half  of 
the  tops  by  a  twisting  motion  of  the  right  hand.  Celery  plants 
with  excessively  long  roots  should  have  the  tips  cut  off  with  a 
sharp  knife.  Plants  treated  in  this  way,  after  being  planted  out, 
appear  as  here  illustrated. 


Cabbage.  Beet. 

Plants  properly  trimmed. 


Celery. 


TIME  OF  DAY. — Cloudy  weather  permits  of  setting  out  plants 
safely  and  with  equally  satisfactory  success  at  any  time  of  day  or 
night ;  but  when  the  sun  shines  hot  and  bright,  and  the  soil  is 
somewhat  dry,  the  proverbial  "  after  4  p.  m."  is  the  right  and 
proper  time,  and  better  than  earlier  in  the  day.  If  a  little  shade 
can  be  provided  for  newly-set  plants,  it  is  certainly  worth  some 
trouble  to  do  so — soiled 
and  discarded  berry  boxes, 
broken  pots,  etc.,  answer  a 
good  purpose,  and  leaves  of 
large  weeds,  burdock,  for 
instance,  will  be  much 
better  than  nothing.  Good 
celery  plants  are  quite 
sure  to  survive  the  fiercest 
heat,  on  first  being  trans- 
planted, if  shaded  for  some  days  with  a  line  of  boards  resting 
upon  blocks  or  little  stakes,  and  held  there  a  few  inches 
above  ground.  Bottomless  plant  pots  (5  inch)  which  I  had  made 
for  the  purpose  of  bleaching  celery,  make  first-class  plant  pro- 
tectors, and  plants  thus  covered  for  a  few  days,  as  appearing  in 
picture,  generally  pass  safely  over  the  critical  period.  Tomatoes, 


Plant  Protectors  and  Celery  Bleachers. 


126 — How  to  Make  the  Garden  Pay. 

egg  plants  and  sweet  potatoes,  all  of  which  rather  enjoy  heat, 
and  are  somewhat  indifferent  to  drought,  require  less  care  in 
the  selection  of  cloudy  weather,  or  moist  soil  when  planting 
out,  and  may  often  be  set  safely  when  cabbage  and  celery  plants 
could  not  be  transferred  to  the  open  ground  without  suffering 
considerable  loss. 

SPINDLING  PLANTS.— Even  the  most  ill-looking,  spindling, 
almost  rootless  plants  of  tomatoes,  cabbages,  cauliflowers,  etc.,  can 
be  transplanted  with  entire  success  under  average  conditions  of 


Planting  Overgrown  Tomato  Plants. 

soil  and  season.  All  that  is  needed  is  to  insert  the  plants  into 
the  ground  up  to  their  very  hearts.  Overgrown  tomato  plants 
may  be  laid  down  in  slanting  position,  care  being  taken  to  bring 
the  moist  earth  in  firm  contact  with  the  soil  where  underground. 


,,,*       m- 

Planting  Spindling  Cabbage  Plants. 

Cabbages  may  be  set  either  straight  down  or  slanting,  according 
to  depth  of  surface  soil  and  length  of  stalk.  In  either  case  roots 
will  form  all  along  the  stems,  and  the  heads  will  grow  closely 


Thinning  and  Transplanting. — 127 

above  the  ground,  instead  of  being  held  high  up  as  if  on  stilts. 
The  contrast  between  deep  and  shallow  planting  here  illustrated 
speaks  plainly  in  favor  of  the  former.  The  advantage  which 


Results  of  Deep  and  Shallow  Planting. 

deep-feeding  roots  give  to  a  plant  by  establishing  a  direct  com- 
munication with  the  stratum  of  uninterrupted  moisture  is  so 
great  that  some  gardeners  even  prefer  setting  tall,  spindling 
plants  to  short  and  stocky  ones, 


CHAPTER  XXV. 

MEANS  OF  PROTECTION  AGAINST   DROUGHT  AND 

FROST. 

SIMPLE   AND   PRACTICAL    DEVICES. 
"  Saving  is  Earning." 

N  most  localities  of  the  United  States  the  gardener 
rarely  passes  through  a  season  without  encountering 
one  or  more  longer  or  shorter  periods  of  dry  weather. 
Sometimes  these  periods  assume  the  aspects  of  a 
serious  drought,  and  the  average  crops  of  vegetables 
and  fruits  are  often  greatly  reduced  by  these  period- 
ically repeated  occurrences.  Irrigation  is  the 
expedient  most  naturally  thought  of  for  meeting 
such  emergencies ;  but  as  we  have  seen  in  the  chapter  treating  on 
that  subject,  artificial  applications  of  water — irrigation  or  sprink- 
ling, etc. — are  useful  only  under  rare  conditions,  and  mere 
sprinkling  can  never  supplant  the  rains  from  the  skies,  in  fact, 
is  often  more  hurtful  than  of  benefit.  But  we  are  not  left  without 
means  of  passing  safely  over  any  period  of  drought  of  reasona- 
ble duration. 

PRECAUTIONS  AGAINST  DROUGHT. — During  the  colder  part  of 
the  season,  when  the  evaporation  from  the  soil  is  slow,  and  the  sup- 
ply of  moisture  from  the  clouds  abundant,  the  movement  of  the  soil 
water  is  chiefly  downward,  while  during  the  summer  evaporation 
is  usually  much  faster  than  rainfall,  and  necessarily  the  soil  water 
in  the  main  moves  upwards.  In  other  words,  the  soil  forms  a 
sort  of  reservoir  that  is  filled  every  winter,  and  gives  off  its  sup- 
ply for  the  use  of  vegetation  (and  by  evaporation)  during  the 
growing  season.  If  this  reservoir  is  shallow,  as  in  case  of  soils 
resting  upon  an  impervious  clay  stratum,  the  surplus  is  carried  off 
by  surface  wash,  or  in  the  drains,  and  the  supply  is  liable  to  give 
out  when  most  needed ;  but  if  deep,  as  in  the  case  of  a  naturally 
porous  subsoil,  or  one  loosened  by  subsoiling,  the  available  water 
supply  is  large,  and  not  liable  to  become  soon  exhausted.  It  is 
true  that  capillary  action  is  also  going  on  in  the  clay  hard-pan, 
but  it  is  far  too  slow  to  satisfy  the  combined  demands  of  surface 
evaporation,  and  absorption  by  plant  roots  in  a  dry  time.  Hence 
our  first  aim  must  be  to  secure  depth  of  reservoir.  It  is  essential 
(128) 


Means  of  Protection  against  Drought  and  Frost. — 129 

to  supply  the  conditions  which  favor  a  free  movement  of  the  soil 
water  up  and  down,  and  especially  capillary  action  between 
surface  soil  and  subsoil,  namely,  perfect  drainage,  and  subsoiling 
wherever  this  action  is  stopped  by  an  impervious  character  of  the 
subsoil. 

Having  once  secured  these  conditions  as  a  foundation,  the 
task  before  us  is  rendered  comparatively  easy,  and  we  can  now 
pay  attention  to  the  mechanical  structure  of  the  surface  layer. 
Some  soils  absorb  more  moisture,  and  part  with  it  more  reluc- 
tantly, than  others.  The  following  table  will  make  this  plain : 
Each  100  Ibs.  of  clear  Sand  is  able  to  absorb  and  retain  25  Ibs.  of  water. 


Limestone  and  Sand 

Sandy  Loam 

Clay  and  Limestone  Soil 

Clay  Loam  Soil 

Clear  Clay  Soil 

Rich  Garden  Soil 

Peat  Soil 


29 
40 
45 
So 
70 

85 
175 


Soils,  therefore,  suffer  most  from  dry  weather  in  the  order 
given.  Peat  never  suffers  from  an  ordinary  drought,  but  gorging 
itself  with  moisture,  which  fills  all  its  pores,  is  much  more  liable 
to  suffer  for  want  of  air.  The  addition  of  sand,  limestone  soil, 
and  even  clay,  will  correct  it  in  this  direction.  The  absorptive 
and  retentive  character  of  sand  can  be  improved  by  the  addition 
of  clay,  peat,  or  more  naturally,  as  in  the  legitimate  way  of  crop 
feeding,  by  the  incorporation  of  coarse  manure,  or  plowing  under 
of  green  crops.  The  beneficial  agent  in  the  latter  cases  is  vege- 
table mold.  Soils  filled  with  humus  absorb  and  hold  water  well ; 
a  rich  soil  consequently  stands  drought  better  than  a  poor  one. 
Judicious  selection  of  soil,  or  improvement  of  its  composition  by 
the  addition  of  clay,  manure,  peat,  etc.,  are  among  the  most 
effective  precautionary  measures  against  drought. 

Applications  of  wood  ashes,  (carbonates  of  potash  and  lime) 
also  serve  to  make  soils  more  retentive,  and  to  counteract  the  evil 
consequences  of  a  prolonged  drought.  Some  of  our  best  garden- 
ers use  them  very  largely,  at  the  rate  of  100  bushels  or  more  per 
acre,  as  much  with  this  object  in  view,  as  for  their  fertilizing 
qualities.  I  believe  that  nitrate  of  soda,  and  the  potash  salts  also, 
serve  to  attract  moisture,  and  to  retain  it  for  the  use  of  the  crops. 
Suppose  we  have  paid  proper  attention  to  all  the  points  before 
mentioned.  We  then  find  ourselves  in  first-class  shape  at  the 
beginning  of  the  season.  The  subterranean  reservoir  is  well 
filled,  and  all  we  will  have  to  do,  to  defy  even  a  protracted 
drought,  is  to  use  the  supply  economically,  and  prevent  its  undue 
waste. 

Our  aim  now  is,  and  should  be,  to  retard  evaporation  from  the 
surface,  and  reduce  it  to  the  smallest  possible  amount  Tihs 
might  be  done  by  a  mulch  of  hay,  straw  or  other  litter ;  but  the 


130 — How  to  Make  the  Garden  Pay. 

most  convenient  material  at  hand  for  the  purpose  is  the  soil 
itself.  We  simply  pulverize  the  surface,  for  an  inch  or  two  in 
depth,  by  stirring  it  freely  with  cultivator,  harrow,  hoe,  or  what- 
ever implement  of  tillage  we  may  find  most  convenient  and  most 
effective.  This  covering  of  pulverized  soil  we  must  try  to  keep 
on  top  all  through  the  season.  The  capillary  action  from  below 
stops  when  it  meets  this  loose  material  with  its  large  interstices ; 
and  moisture  cannot  pass  through  and  beyond  it  except  by  the 
method  of  slow  evaporation  ;  so  that  our  supply  is  held  for  the 
use  of  plants  below  the  stirred  portion  of  the  soil. 

Hard  rains,  of  course,  again  pack  the  soil  tightly,  and  when 
this  happens,  capillary  action  is  at  once  resumed,  and  moisture 
brought  up  by  it  clear  to  the  surface.  Therefore  it  is  of  the 
greatest  urgency  that  we  begin  work  again  with  the  cultivator  and 
hoe,  as  soon  after  each  rain  as  practicable,  to  replace  the  import- 
ant mulch  of  loose  soil.  When  this  point  is  properly  attended 
to,  and  with  the  fundamental  conditions  spoken  of  in  our  favor, 
we  will  have  little  to  fear  from  any  drouth  of  average  dura- 
tion ;  and  even  an  unusually  severe  one  will  not  be  likely  to 
cripple  us.  Our  yields  may  be  reduced,  but  thoroughness  and 
promptness  in  cultivation  on  judiciously  selected  and  wisely 
managed  land  will  not  admit  entire  failure  on  account  of  drought. 

PRECAUTIONS  AGAINST  FROST. — Quite  frequently  spring  begins 
with  a  long  mild  spell,  lulling  the  gardener  into  a  sense  of 
security,  and  inducing  him  to  plant  all  sorts  of  tender  things  in 
the  open  ground.  Suddenly  a  cold  rain  sets  in,  and  on  clearing, 
is  followed  by  a  night  frost  or  two  that  make  a  clean  sweep 
among  all  unprotected  tender  vegetation.  In  an  early  warm 
spring  the  gardener  must  take  some  risk,  for  there  is  no  gain 
without.  So  we  may  plant  some  sweet  corn,  and  set  a  few 
tomato  plants,  but  never  more  of  the  latter  than  we  will  be  able 
to  protect  by  covering,  or  replace,  should  a  late  frost  occur.  If 
the  plants  were  well-grown  and  properly  hardened,  they  will 
often  pass  through  the  ordeal  of  a  cold  spell  or  a  very  light 
frost  without  suffering  injury,  where  plants  not  so  hardened 
would  succumb  at  once. 

The  main  crop  of  tender  plants,  however,  should  not  be 
transferred  to  the  open  ground  until  the  soil  has  become 
thoroughly  warm,  and  all  danger  of  late  frost  is  past.  This  for 
the  latitude  of  Philadelphia  will  be  about  May  I5th,  and  further 
north  not  until  June  1st.  Tender  plants  up  to  that  time  are 
generally  much  better  off  in  a  protected  place,  frame  or  green- 
house, where  with  proper  allowance  of  space  they  continue  to 
grow  uninterruptedly,  than  when  exposed  to  the  comparative 
hardships  of  cool  soil  and  occasional  chilly  days  and  nights  of 
early  spring,  conditions  which  will  not  permit  much  growth,  and 
more  generally  keep  the  plants  at  almost  a  perfect  standstill, 


Means  of  Protection  against  Drought  and  Frost. — 131 

retarding  them  to  such  a  degree  that  the  plants  set  at  a  more 
congenial  time  often  overtake  the  coddled  things  set  two  or  three 
weeks  earlier. 

Should  an  unusually  early  and  warm  spring  induce  you  to 
plant  more  largely  before  the  usual  time,  one  precaution  must 
never  be  lost  sight  of,  namely,  to  hold  a  supply  of  good  plants 
in  reserve  for  the  very  possible  emergency  of  a  mishap  to  those 
set  out  first.  Here  is  just  where  so  many  growers  come  to  grief 
annually,  and  almost  every  year  we  see  people,  after  having  lost 
their  plants  by  a  late  frost,  anxiously  hunting  the  country  over 
in  June,  for  a  new  supply,  and  finally  being  compelled  to  take  up 
with  a  poor  lot  of  late-grown  plants,  or  go  without. 

DEVICES  OF  PROTECTION. — Some  afternoon  in  early  spring  the 
weather  reports  announce  the  rapid  approach  of  a  cold  wave, 
and  all  the  indications  point  to  a  coming  freeze.  Then  comes 
the  anxious  inquiry  :  How  can  we  save  our  nice  tomato  plants, 
our  sweet  corn,  potatoes  and  beans,  all  of  which  were  growing 
so  finely  ?  It  will  not  do  to  stand  by  with  folded  arms,  complain- 
ing of  the  weather,  and  bad  luck.  Our  only  safety  lies  in  cover- 
ing the  plants.  This  may  be  done  by  sheets  of  cloth  or  paper, 
litter,  or  by  boxes,  large  flower  pots,  etc.  The  number  of  boxes 
and  pots  on  hand  in  average  gardens  may  not  go  very  far,  and  I 
would  advise  to  make  use  of  common  manilla  paper  bags  (the 
two  or  three  pound  sacks  of  grocers)  for  placing  over  tomato, 
and  egg  plants,  etc.  Smaller  sizes  will  answer  for  pepper  and 
smaller  plants  generally.  Round  off  the  corners  at  the  open 
end  slightly,  and  fasten  the  bag  to  the  ground  by  a  little  wooden 
pin  thrust  through  each  of  the  two  flaps  and  into  the  ground,  or 
by  a  small  chunk  of  soil  or  a  stone  placed  upon  each  flap,  as 
may  be  seen  in  the  accompanying  figure. 


Devices  of  Protecting  Plants. 

Another  mode  of  giving  protection  to  tomato  plants  in  an 
emergency,  and  one  which  I  have  seen  practised  with  excellent 
success  on  a  larger  scale,  consists  of  covering  the  bent-over  plant 
with  earth.  Sweet  corn  can  also  be  treated  in  same  way,  although 
it  is  much  less  liable  to  suffer  serious  damage,  even  if  left  unpro- 
tected. The  soil  must  be  carefully  removed  next  morning, 


132 — How  to  Make  the  Garden  Pay. 

and  the  plants  again  straightened  up.  Early  potatoes  can  be 
protected  by  simply  hilling  up,  entirely  hiding  the  plants  from 
sight. 

When  you  have  marsh  hay,  or  coarse  litter  of  any  kind  on 
hand,  a  much  better  material  for  covering  strawberry  patches, 
and  exposed  vegetation  of  a  tender  nature  generally,  need  not  be 
looked  for.  Spread  the  litter  thinly  over  the  rows,  and  remove 
again  next  morning.  It  may  be  left  as  a  mulch  between  the 
rows,  or  gathered  up  and  drawn  off  for  other  uses  if  desired. 

Smoke  has  often  been  mentioned  as  a  safeguard  against 
frost,  and  writers  often  give  the  advice  to  burn  rubbish  heaps,  or 
heaps  of  a  mixture  of  coal  tar  and  moist  sawdust,  placed  at 
intervals  over  the  area  to  be  protected.  But  this  is  another  case 
where  theory  is  better  than  practice,  and  I  do  not  recommend  it 
either  for  spring  or  fall. 

Covering  with  hay,  straw,  jpaper,  muslin,  etc.,  is  about  the 
only  feasible  plan  of  protecting  crops  against  the  first  early  fall 
frosts.  The  home  gardener  can  often  save  a  few  tomato  and 
pepper  plants,  melon  and  cucumber  vines,  etc.,  by  such  means, 
and  thus  prolong  his  season  of  .fresh  fruits  of  these  tender  garden 
plants  for  several  weeks,  for  a  warm  spell  usually  follows  closely 
upon  the  first,  and  (often  only)  early  fall  frost.  A  few  tomato  and 
pepper  plants  may  also  be  lifted  with  all  the  soil  that  will  adhere 
to  the  roots,  and  placed  in  tubs  or  boxes  in  the  cellar,  or  under  a 
shed ;  or  they  may  be  simply  pulled  up  and  hung  up  somewhere 
out  of  the  reach  of  frost.  They  will  then  ripen  all  the  larger 
fruit  that  is  on  them,  and  give  a  full  supply  some  time  after  all 
the  plants  left  in  the  open  ground  are  killed  by  frost. 

The  crops  of  winter  squashes,  late  melons,  and  all  others 
which  even  the  slightest  touch  of  frost  would  render  worthless 
for  keeping,  should  of  course  be  gathered  and  stored  in  a  safe 
place  before  such  mishap  can  befall  them.  Full-grown  green 
melons,  if  properly  stored,  may  be  kept  for  some  time,  and  yet 
come  to  full  maturity. 


CHAPTER  XXVI. 

HIRED    HELP. 

EMPLOYMENT  AND  TREATMENT  OF  LABOR. 
"  The  laborer  is  worthy  of  his  hire." 

HE  finer  quality  of  garden  work,  with  its  many 
somewhat  delicate  operations,  calls  for  greater 
mechanical  skill,  wider  experience  and  riper  intel- 
ligence than  required  for  the  performance  of  the 
simpler  and  more  primitive  manipulations  of  aver- 
age farm  management. 

Really  first-class  help  is  scarce  even  on  the 
farm.  If  we  watch  the  average  plowman  in  the  field, 
or  the  hired  man  as  he  wields  the  hoe,  we  will  soon  find  that  there 
is  a  wonderful  difference  in  the  quality  of  such  work,  and  that  the 
man  who  does  a  perfect  job,  like  a  true  friend,  is  a  rara  avis 
indeed.  More  than  in  any  other  respect  is  it  a  truism  of  the  labor 
market,  that  the  "  best  is  always  the  cheapest."  The  simplest 
manipulations  in  the  garden  are  more  than  doubled  in  value  and 
lasting  benefit  when  directed  by  a  fair  amount  of  intelligence. 
One  thorough  hoeing,  for  instance,  will  keep  the  ground  in  better 
condition  and  free  from  weed -growth  for  a  longer  time  than  two 
or  three  of  the  average  kind  of  so-called  hoeing.  The  former 
(thorough  hoeing)  may  require  more  "  elbow  grease,"  but  very 
little  more  time.  The  same  with  other  operations. 

Years  ago  I  had  my  onion-weeding  done  by  young  boys, 
picked  up  wherever  they  could  be  found  willing  to  work  for  50 
cents  a  day.  The  poor  quality  of  the  work  done  by  the  great 
majority  of  them,  the  unceasing  and  close  supervision  and  dis- 
cipline they  required,the  damage  caused  by  the  careless  destruction 
of  many  of  the  finest  plants,  the  general  inclination  to  slight  the 
work,and  the  frequency  of  hand- weeding  rendered  necessary  thereby 
— all  these  drawbacks  made  boy-labor  at  50  cents  a  day  come  pretty 
high.  Grown  persons  might  have  been  employed  at  the  same 
time  at  $1.00  a  day,  and  they  would  probably  have  done  the  work 
25  per  cent,  faster  and  50  per  cent,  better,  and  that  without 
damage  to  the  crop,  consequently  at  a  large  saving  of  expense,  of 
supervision  and  of  considerable  annoyance.  Verily,  the  good 
laborer  is  worthy  of  his  hire :  but  the  poor  one  certainly  is  not. 

(i33) 


*34 — How  to  Make  the  Garden  Pay. 

The  gardener  everywhere  has  to  face  this  difficulty  of  get- 
ting intelligent  labor — labor  which  alone  is  worth  having,  and 
worth  paying  for.  It  is  well  worth  the  trouble — perhaps  an  ab- 
solute necessity — for  the  market  gardener  to  educate  his  work- 
hands,  and  then  try  to  keep  those  permanently  that  suit  his 
requirements.  In  the  first  place  he  must  plan  to  have  work 
all  through  the  year,  summer  and  winter,  and  to  engage  his  men 
by  the  year,  and  year  after  year.  We  can  better  afford  to  give  a 
good  price  to  thoroughly  skilled  workmen,  than  to  employ  care- 
less and  unintelligent  raw  hands  at  a  one-third  rate. 

To  make  our  good  hands  still  more  contented  to  stay,  and 
willing  scholars,  good  books  and  treatises  on  gardening,  and  the 
better  class  of  horticultural  periodicals  should  be  freely  provided 
for  them,  and  the  employer  should  not  neglect  to  acquaint  them 
with  his  plans  of  operation,  and  the  reasons  for  the  adoption 
of  the  various  courses  in  garden  management. 

Everything,  in  short,  must  be  done  to  make  them  feel  as  if 
it  were  their  own  work  they  are  engaged  in,  and  to  make  them 
do  it  with  an  object  in  view  other  than  the  mere  passing  away 
the  time,  and  getting  their  pay  for  "time."  If  this  latter  is  the 
only  consideration  for  which  their  work  is  given,  it  will  most 
surely  be  of  inferior  quality,  and  not  worth  its  price. 


CHAPTER  XXVII. 

MONTHLY   MEMORANDA. 

A  CHRONOLOGICAL  SUMMARY  OF  THE  YEAR'S  WORK. 
'•  Doing  the  right  thing  at  the  right  time — that  is  success." 

T  would  be  a  futile  attempt  to  give  specified  chrono- 
logical directions  strictly  applicable  to  all  the  gardens 
over  the  different  sections  of  the  United  States  with 
their  varied  climatic  and  atmospheric  conditions.  In 
the  following  chronological  schedule  of  garden  opera- 
tions, the  latitude  and  general  climate  of  Philadelphia 
(Southern  Pennsylvania,  South  Jersey,  etc.),  is  taken 
as  a  basis.  The  growing  season  of  the  greater  part  of 
New  York  and  the  New  England  States,  etc.,  is  several  weeks 
shorter  at  each  end,  with  a  month  or  two  more  of  hot-house  and 
cold  frame  management,  comparative  leisure  and  opportunity 
for  planning,  studying  books,  papers,  catalogues,  etc.,  during  the 
winter.  Gardeners  must  govern  themselves  accordingly,  and 
make  every  effort  to  do  the  right  thing  just  at  the  right  time. 

JANUARY. 

Attend  to  cold  frames,  hot-beds  and  greenhouses,  giving  all 
the  fresh  air  possible  during  pleasant  hours  of  the  day,  closing 
again  as  a  change  of  temperature  occurs.  Some  days  the  sashes 
may  have  to  be  opened  and  closed  severa  1  times.  Cold-frame 
wintered  plants  need  all  the  light  that  can  be  given,  unless  the 
plants  are  frozen,  when  they  may  remain  covered  with  shutters 
or  snow  for  two  weeks  without  injury. 

Market  celery  or  any  other  vegetable  that  you  may  have  on 
hand  from  last  year's  crop. 

Draw  manure  to  the  compost  heap,  and  compost  to  the 
fields.  Order  fertilizers. 

During  a  thaw  secure  soil  for  your  beds,  protecting  well 
with  litter  or  coarse  manure,  to  have  it  ready  for  use  in  making 
hot-beds. 

Plan  the  season's  work,  aiming  to  have  the  ground  occupied 
all  the  time,  embracing  crops  that  are  most  profitable,  yet  do  not 
encroach  upon  each  other. 

(i35) 


136 — How  to  Make  the  Garden  Pay. 

Order  seed  catalogues  of  leading  dealers,  and  study  them 
carefully ;  then  make  your  selection  of  seeds,  providing  for  all 
possible  wants,  and  send  in  your  order  without  unnecessary 
delay. 

Select  and  engage  the  required  hired  help.  Now  you  have 
choice — later  you  will  have  to  take  what  others  have  refused. 

FEBRUARY. 

Attend  to  frames,  and  greenhouses,  as  in  January.  Venti- 
late freely  in  fine  weather. 

Test  the  vitality  of  seeds  on  hand,  and  order  a  new  supply  if 
necessary. 

Inspect  all  implements,  harnesses,  wagons.  Repair  where 
needed. 

First  of  month  sow  cabbage,  cauliflower  and  lettuce  in  well 
protected  cold  frame  or  hot-bed  for  earliest  planting,  if  no  win- 
tered plants  are  on  hand. 

Latter  part  of  month  sow  tomatoes,  egg-plant  and  pepper  in 
a  strong  hot-bed,  or  in  greenhouse. 

Continue  drawing  manure.     Fork  over  the  compost  heaps. 

Last  of  month,  if  season  is  favorable,  begin  setting  wintered 
plants  of  cabbage  and  lettuce  in  open  ground. 

MARCH. 

Attend  to  frames,  greenhouses,  etc.,  as  in  February. 

Cart  and  spread  manure  on  the  fields  to  be  planted.  Plow, 
harrow. 

Sow  seeds  of  radish,  lettuce,  onion,  spinach,  early  beets, 
turnips,  carrots,  celery,  hardy  peas,  parsley. 

Dig  around  the  rhubarb  plants,  and  apply  fine  compost, 
liquid  manure,  or  nitrate  of  soda. 

Pulverize  the  asparagus  patch,  hilling  up  the  rows.  Apply 
nitrate  of  soda  at  the  rate  of  200  to  300  Ibs.  per  acre. 

Continue  setting  cold  frame  plants  of  cabbage,  cauliflower, 
lettuce. 

Plant  onion  sets  and  first  early  potatoes. 

Prick  out  tomato  seedlings  in  flats  or  on  greenhouse  benches 
three  or  four  inches  apart  each  way. 

APRIL. 

First  of  month  sow  seed  of  all  hardy  vegetables — radishes 
beets,  carrots,  peas,  spinach,  celery ;  the  last  of  the  month  the 
first  planting  of  the  tender  kinds,  beans,  sweet  com,  etc.,  can  be 
made. 

Sow  onion  seed  for  sets. 

Thin  all  the  drilled  crops  planted  last  month. 

Cultivate  freely  between  rows. 


Monthly  Memoranda. — 137 

Continue  "  spotting  "  (transplanting)  tomato  seedlings. 

Apply  nitrate  of  soda  to  the  early  crops. 

Sow  peppers  in  hot-bed. 

Whitewash  sashes  of  greenhouses,  etc.,  to  protect  plants 
from  excess  of  light  and  heat.  Begin  hardening  off  the  earliest 
tomato  plants. 

Market  earliest  crops  —  spinach,  bunch  onions,  radishes, 
lettuce. 

MAY. 

For  succession  sow  radishes,  beets,  peas ;  also  cabbages  and 
cauliflowers  for  late  crop.  By  middle  of  month  sow  mangels  for 
stock,  carrots  and  salsify  for  main  crop. 

After  first  week  of  month  sow  seed  of  beans,  cucumbers, 
melons,  corn  and  lima  beans. 

After  middle  of  month  set  tomatoes,  peppers  and  sweet 
potatoes  in  open  ground. 

Plant  common  potatoes. 

Mellow  the  soil  around  plants  set  last  month,  to  keep  them 
growing  vigorously. 

Keep  celery  bed  well  cultivated  and  free  from  weeds. 

Market  early  crops — onions  from  sets,  lettuce,  radishes, 
spinach,  beets,  cabbages,  earliest  peas. 

JUNE. 

Plant  peppers,  tomatoes,  egg-plants,  sweet  and  white  potatoes, 
winter  beets,  late  cauliflowers  and  cabbages. 

Clear  ground  of  early  spring  crops — onions,  radishes,  lettuce, 
spinach,  etc. — and  prepare  it  for  second  crops. 

Keep  celery  plants  growing  vigorously  by  frequent  cultiva- 
tion. Thin  plants  as  needed. 

Thin  carrots,  beets,  onions  from  seed,  parsnips,  salsify. 

Stir  the  surface  of  soil  frequently  among  all  crops. 

Poison  the  potato  beetles  and  slugs. 

Plant  cucumbers  for  pickles. 

Set  celery  plants  for  early  crop. 

Market  radishes,  lettuce,  onions,  celery,  cabbage  and  other 
vegetable  plants,  peas,  string-beans,  cauliflower,  etc 

JULY. 

Finish  marketing  early  crops,  clearing  and  preparing  the 
land  for  succeeding  crops. 

Plant  out  late  cauliflowers,  cabbages,  peppers. 

Plant  tomatoes  on  the  discarded  strawberry  patch. 

Set  celery  for  main  and  late  crops. 

Sow  seed  of  winter  radish,  early  beet  for  winter,  ruta-bagas, 
turnips ;  last  of  month  kale,  spinach. 


138 — How  to  Make  the  Garden  Pay. 

Harvest  onion  sets. 
Market  early  potatoes. 

Keep  the  ground  among  all  crops  well  stirred  to  guard 
against  drought. 

AUGUST. 

Early  this  month  finish  setting  celery. 

Sow  for  late  crop  spinach,  radish,  turnip,  kale. 

Keep  ground  well  cultivated  and  hoed. 

Pull  the  late  weeds  before  they  mature  and  shed  their 
seed. 

Hoe  cabbages  frequently,  also  apply  pyrethrum  (buhach) 
wherever  worms  are  troublesome. 

Dig  and  market  potatoes.  Market  cucumbers,  melons, 
tomatoes,  peppers,  etc. 

SEPTEMBER. 

Stimulate  growth  of  celery  by  cultivation,  hoeing  and  appli- 
cations of  nitrate  of  soda. 

Handle  celery  for  early  use. 

By  middle  of  month  sow  seed  of  spinach,  and  kale  for 
spring. 

By  twentieth  of  month  sow  in  drills,  cabbage  and  cauliflower 
for  plants  to  be  wintered  in  cold  frames. 

Harvest  onions,  and  sell  them  at  the  earliest  possible  date. 

Clean  up  the  hot-beds  and  cold  frames,  and  get  them  ready 
for  use. 

Watch  turnips  and  drive  off  flea  beetles  by  application  of 
proper  remedies. 

Market  tomatoes,  peppers,  lima-beans,  egg-plants,  melons, 
cucumbers,  pickles,  etc. 

OCTOBER. 

Market  the  second  crops  planted  in  July :  radishes,  cabbages, 
endives,  string-beans,  beets,  carrots,  cauliflowers,  sweet  corn, 
celery. 

Handle  late  celery,  earth  up  gradually. 

During  middle  of  month  sow  lettuce  for  plants  to  go  in  cold 
frames. 

Before  frost  pick  green  and  half-ripe  tomatoes,  peppers,  etc. 

House  squash.  Harvest  sweet  potatoes  before  vines  are 
injured  by  frost. 

Harvest  root  crops  and  store  in  cool,  moist  cellar,  or  pit. 

Set  cabbage  plants  in  cold  frames,  leaving  beds  open  until 
hard  freezing  or  snowy  weather. 


Monthly  Memoranda. — 139 

NOVEMBER. 

Finish  gathering  and  storing  late  crops. 

Set  cabbage  and  cauliflower  plants  in  cold  frame,  and  harden 
them  by  exposure. 

Mulch  spinach  for  spring  lightly. 

Protect  parsley  from  snow  and  extreme  cold  by  a  board  cap 
or  inverted  trough. 

Celery  not  well  protected  is  to  be  gathered  early  and 
trenched  in,  or  stored  in  root  cellar. 

Market  the  bleached  celery. 

Harvest  and  store  root  crops.  Gather  salsify  and  leeks  for 
winter  use,  and  store  like  celery. 

Top-dress  rhubarb  with  manure,  bone  meal,  muriate  of 
potash. 

Clear  up  the  garden  generally,  and  get  ready  for  spring 
crops. 

Draw  manure  to  compost  heap  or  to  the  field. 

DECEMBER. 

Look  to  frames  and  forcing  houses. 

Keep  cold  frame  plants  dormant.  Too  much  protection  is 
worse  than  exposure. 

Mulch  spinach.     Draw  soil  lightly  over  the  tops  of  salsify. 

Market  celery,  cabbage,  onions,  beets,  hot-house  lettuce. 

Draw  material  for  the  compost  heaps  from  city  or  town. 

Look  over  the  credits  and  debits  of  each  crop.  Figure 
which  are  the  profitable  and  which  are  the  unprofitable  ones,  and 
study  the  causes  of  failure  wherever  it  occurred,  to  learn  how 
to  avoid  it  in  future. 


CHAPTER  XXVIII. 

CULTURAL  DIRECTIONS. 


HOW    THE    VARIOUS    CROPS    OF    OUR    GARDENS    ARE     GROWN     MOST 
EASILY   AND   PROFITABLY THEIR   LEADING   VARIETIES. 

"  Care  brings  crops." 

N  the  following  pages  I  have  attempted  to  describe  the 
best  methods  of  growing  the  various  vegetables,  as 
practised  by  myself  and  good  gardeners  generally. 
Of  varieties,  I  can  only  mention  the  leading  or  typi- 
cal ones,  and  of  the  newer  sorts  those  that  have 
passed  examination  creditably,  or  at  least  give 
promise  of  value.  Concerning  untried  novelties,  I 
must  refer  the  reader  to  the  annual  catalogues  of  our 
progressive  seedsmen. 

ANISE. 

Pimpinella  Anisum.  German,  Anis.  French,  A nis.  Spanish, 
Ants. — Anise  is  one  of  the  half-hardy  "  sweet  herbs,"  and  almost 
as  easily  grown  as  a  weed.  Sow  seed  in  April  or  May  where  it 
is  to  remain,  in  warm  and  well  drained  soil,  drills  to  be  12  or  15 
inches  apart.  It  is  but  little  grown  in  American  gardens. 

The  seed  has  a  delicate  flavor  and  perfume,  and  is  prized 
for  its  medical  properties.  Germans  use  it  quite  commonly  for 
flavoring  apple-sauce. 

ARTICHOKE— GLOBE. 

Cynara  Scolymus.  German,  Artichoke.  French,  Artichaut. 
Spanish,  Alcachofa. — The  Globe  Artichoke  is  propagated  from 
seed,  division  of  roots,  or  from  suckers.  In  order  to  obtain  a 
stock  of  plants,  seed  may  be  sown  early  in  hot-beds,  and  plants 
transferred  to  open  ground  in  May,  setting  in  rows  three  feet 
apart,  with  two  feet  distance  between  plants.  The  rich  black 
soil  of  river  bottoms,  moist  but  well-drained,  answers  the 
requirements  of  this  crop  best.  A  bed  once  established  will 
remain  in  bearing  for  a  number  of  years,  but  needs  protection  in 
(HO) 


Cultural  Directions. — 141 


the  northern  states ;  and  for  this  reason  leaves  or  coarse  manure 
should  be  applied  between  the  plants  from  three  to  six  inches 
deep,  according  to  the  usual  severity  of  the  winters. 

The  part  used,  generally  in  the  raw  state,  is  the  base  of  the 
scales  of  the  flower.  Sometimes  they  are  boiled  and  served 
as  a  salad.  The  term  "  Artichoke  Salad,"  however,  is  more 
frequently  applied  to  the  side  shoots,  which  are  loosely  tied  and 
bleached  somewhat  after  the  fashion  of  endive.  The  vegetable 
is  rarely  found  in  American  home  gardens. 

VARIETIES. 

European  seedsmen  catalogue  a  number  of  varieties.  The 
Green,  or  Green  Globe,  is  probably  as  good  as  any  other,  and 
the  one  offered  by  American  seedsmen. 

Jerusalem.  Helianthus  Tuber  osus.  German,  Erdapfel. 
French,  Topinambour.  Spanish,  Namara. — The  Jerusalem  arti- 
choke or  Tuberous-rooted  sunflower  is  easily 
grown  from  the  tuber,  and  where  the  latter  has 
once  taken  possession  of  a  field,  is  hard  to 
eradicate.  Poor,  gravelly  soil,  too  dry  for  most 
any  other  crop,  suits  this  artichoke  very  well, 
and  will  soon  be  filled  with  tubers.  Plant  in 
open  ground  in  April  or  May,  in  rows  three 

feet  apart,  placing  the  seed  tubers    12  or   15  ~ 

*V  ~,  D  Green   Globe 

inches  apart,    in    the  rows.     They  require  no  choke. 

especial    attention    until     dug,    and    are    not 
affected  by  frost  if  left  in  the  ground.      The  varieties  only  differ 
in  the  color  of  their  tubers,  and  are  named  accordingly,  Red- 
skinned,  White-skinned,  etc. 

USES. — The  tubers,  like  potatoes,  can  serve  as  food  for  man 
or  beast.  Sometimes  they  are  eaten  in  the  raw  state,  as  pickles 
or  salad;  sometimes  they  are  boiled  like  potatoes  ;  but  however 

served,  they  can  by  no  means  be  con- 
sidered a  great  delicacy  for  the  average 
American  taste.  Flesh  sweet  and 
watery.  Hogs  are  very  fond  of  the 
tuber.  I  think  that  on  a  piece  of  land 
having  little  value  otherwise,  the  crop 
would  be  quite  a  profitable  one  for 
turning  into  pork,  especially  since  we 
can  leave  the  job  of  harvesting  entirely 
to  the  pigs  themselves.  Hog  snouts 
are  also  the  most  convenient  tool  with 
which  to  rid  a  piece  of  land  of  the 

Jerusalem  artichoke,  when  this  becomes  a  nuisance,  which  it  is 
liable  to  do. 


Arti- 


JERU?A£M  ARTICHOKE  ROOTS1 


142 — How  to  Make  the  Garden  Pay. 


ASPARAGUS. 

Asparagus  Officinalis.  German,  SpaygeL  French,  Asperge. 
Spanish,  Asparrago. — Asparagus  not  only  gives  us  a  most 
excellent,  wholesome  and  palatable  vegetable,  but  also  a  great 
quantity  from  a  comparatively  small  area,  and  this  at  a  time 
when  other  fresh  succulent  vegetables  are  scarce,  and  the  average 
person's  appetite  sharp  for  just  that  kind  of  food  after  a  long 
period  of  "  much  meat  and  little  vegetable."  No  wonder  the 
demand  for  the  crop,  in  spite  of  heavy  annual  plantings,  and 
a  steadily  increasing  area,  has  until  now  been  larger  than  the 
supply.  Very  little  of  it  has  thus  far  found  its  way  to  the 
canning  establishments,  and  it  seems  that  these  would  be  glad  to 
work  up  quantities  of  it,  if  a  steady  supply  at  reasonable  rates 
were  available.  The  crop,  in  short,  is,  and  probably  will  continue 
to  be,  a  paying  one,  both  for  the  home  gardener,  whose  little  patch 
supplies  his  table  bountifully  from  April  or  May  to  July,  for 
eight  or  ten  weeks,  and  for  the  market  gardener  near  town  or  city 
whose  crop  nets  him  from  $200  to  $400  per  acre,  and  under  very 
favorable  circumstances  even  more,  and  all  this  with  comparatively 
little  labor  and  expense,  and  year  after  year  when  a  bed  or  patch 
has  once  been  established,  and  reached  bearing  age.  Yet  many 
home  growers,  especially  among  the  farmers,  have  not  yet  learned 
to  appreciate  this  crop  as  they  should  for  their  own  and  their 
family's  good,  and  thus  far  fail  to  grasp  the  opportunities  that  it 
offers. 

GROWING  THE  PLANTS. — In  order  to  grow  a  supply  of  first- 
class  plants,  it  is  only  necessary  to  sow  seed  thinly  in  drills  one  foot 
apart,  giving  to  each  plant  about  two  or  three  inches  space  in  the 
row.  Of  course,  the  soil  should  be  well  enriched,  and  thoroughly 
prepared,  and  after  sowing,  well  stirred  between  the  plants  by 
means  of  hand  wheel-hoe,  hoe,  rake,  hand-weeder,  etc.  Weeds 
must  not  be  tolerated.  In  this  way  on  rich,  moist,  mucky  or  sandy 
soil  I  have  often  grown  plants  as  large,  and  fully  as  good,  as  the 
average  two-year-old  plants  purchased  of  nurserymen.  A  surplus 
of  good  plants  can  in  most  cases  be  disposed  of  to  neighbors  or 
towns-people  at  a  good  price,  say  from  40  to  100  cents  per  100 
plants. 

STARTING  THE  BED. — The  price  depends  largely  on  earliness 
and  especially  on  size  and  general  appearance.  The  earliest 
"  grass  "  brings  the  highest  price,  and  market  quotations  taper  off 
gradually  as  the  season  advances.  Large  first-class  stuff  always 
brings  almost  double  what  is  paid  for  an  inferior  article.  These 
considerations  should  guide  us  in  the  selection  of  soil  and  site, 
manuring,  planting,  etc.  No  factor  that  might  have  a  tendency 
to  promote  earliness,  and  size  and  quality  of  the  "  grass,"  can  be 


Cultural  Directions. — 143 

safely  ignored.  On  the  other  hand  we  give  the  cold  shoulder  to 
the  old  style  of  digging  deep  trenches,  and  filling  the  whole  soil 
with  manure  to  a  considerable  depth  as  formerly  practiced — as  a 
waste  of  labor  and  manure.  Neither  do  we  consider  it  necessary 
to  apply  a  great  deal  of  manure  when  first  setting  the  plants  in 
the  permanent  bed. 

In  the  selection  of  soil  and  site,  however,  we  will  be  apt  to 
exercise  the  greatest  care.     Our  first  choice  will  be  a  deep,  warm, 


Asparagus  Grown  Above  Ground. 

sandy  loam,  preferably  slightly  sloping  to  south  or  southeast, 
our  next  choice  a  light  clay  loam.  Porous  subsoil  is  almost  a 
necessity,  and  the  use  of  subsoil  plow  will  be  a  great  advantage 
where  this  condition  is  not  perfect.  Prepare  the  ground  thorougly 
by  plowing,  harrowing,  rolling. 

The  two  ways  of  growing  the  crop,  both  for  market  and 
home  use,  are  illustrated  in  the  accompanying  figures.  In  the 
first,  the  plants  are  set  shallow,  perhaps  three  or  four  inches 
deep,  and  the  stalks  broken  or  cut  off  near  the  surface  of  ground, 


green  "  grass," 


Asparagus  Grown  for  City  Markets. 

when  six  or  eight  inches  high.     This  gives  us 

always  tender,  but  of  a  somewhat  pronounced  flavor.     It  is  a 

favorite  way  with   the   home   grower,  and   in  some  particular 

markets. 

For  most  larger  markets,  especially  that  of  New  York  city, 
the  stalks  are  grown  under  ground,  as  above  illustrated,  and 
thus  naturally  blanched.  It  is  true  that  the  lower  end  of  each 
stalk  is  apt  to  be  somewhat  tough,  and  need*  peeling  and  perhaps 
shortening,  but  the  flavor  is  decidedly  milder,  and  of  a  more 
refined  character  than  that  of  the  stronger-flavored  green  stalks. 


144 — How  to  Make  the  Garden  Pay. 

The  market  gardener,  of  course,  has  to  comply  with  the 
demands  of  his  available  market ;  the  home  grower  may  consult 
his  own  individual  taste  and  preference.  I  will  only  add  that  the 
bleached  "  grass,"  when  poorly  grown  in  hard,  starved  soil,  is 
poor  indeed  ;  but  under  good  culture,  in  warm,  mellow  soil,  it  is 
a  superior  article. 

The  preparation  of  the  ground,  setting  the  plants,  and  after- 
culture, are  much  the  same  for  both  methods,  except  that  the  plants 
are  placed  only  three  or  four  inches  deep  in  one  case,  against 
six  or  eight  inches  deep  in  the  other. 

DISTANCE  OF  PLANTS. — The  size  and  consequent  market  value 
of  the  stalks  is  influenced  more  by  the  amount  of  space  allotted 
to  each  plant,  than  by  any  other  single  circumstance,  and  for  this 
reason  I  consider  wide  planting  the  only  sensible  and  safe  course 
for  the  market  grower.  Some  of  our  most  successful  gardeners 
make  the  rows  six  feet  apart,  with  three  or  four  feet  distance 
between  the  plants.  Even  then  the  roots  completely  fill  the  soil, 
and  interlock  between  the  wide  rows.  Planting  at  this  distance 
admits  of  cultivation  both  ways.  The  least  distance  that  should 
be  given  in  a  bed  expected  to  yield  fine  large  stalks  for  many 
years  is  five  feet  by  two,  requiring  between  4000  and  5000  plants 
to  the  acre;  and  nothing  can  be  gained  by  planting  closer. 
Fifty  plants  thus  set  in  good  soil  will  furnish  an  abundant  supply 
of  "  grass  "  for  a  large  family. 

PLANTING. — Plow  out  furrows  in  well-prepared  soil,  at  least 
five  feet  apart,  and  10  or  12  inches  deep,  or  if  less,  at  least  as 
deep  as  depth  of  surface  soil  will  allow.  Then  scatter  a  few 

inches  of  rich,  well-rotted 
compost  into  the  furrows, 
fill  in  about  as  much  soil, 
mixing  this  well  with  the 
manure,  and  set  the  plants, 
good,  strong,  one-year-old 
to  be  preferred,  at  least 
two  feet  apart,  each  upon 
a  little  mound  of  soil  and 
with  roots  nicely  and 
evenly  spread,  in  the  man- 
ner shown  in  picture,  and  at  such  a  depth  that  the  crowns  will 
be  about  7  inches  below  the  ground  level.  Then  cover  with  two 
inches  of  soil,  and  another  dressing  of  fine  rich  compost.  As  the 
plants  grow,  and  in  the  due  process  of  cultivation  by  horse,  the 
furrows  are  gradually  filled  up  level  with  the  surface. 

AFTER  CULTURE. — The  bed  should  be  kept  well  cultivated, 
and  free  from  weeds.  The  first  season  some  hoed  crop,  like 
potatoes,  cabbages,  radishes,  turnips,  etc.,  might  be  grown 
between  the  rows,  but  in  that  case  the  application  of  the  fertilizer 


Planting  Asparagus  in  Furrow. 


Cultural  Directions. — 145 

required  to  make  up  for  the  removed  plant  food  must  not 
be  neglected.  In  the  fall,  and  every  fall  afterwards,  the  tops 
are  to  be  cut  before  they  shed  their  seed,  taken  off  the  field, 
or  piled  up  and  burned.  The  young  plants,  that  spring  up 
from  seed  carelessly  left  to  drop,  are  sometimes  worse  than 
weeds.  Winter  protection  by  covering  with  coarse  litter  or 
otherwise  is  not  needed  except  at  the  extreme  north.  The 
stalks  should  all  be  left  to  grow  the  next  (second)  season, 
and  same  thorough  cultivation  and  general  treatment  given 
as  in  the  first.  In  the  spring  apply  a  top  dressing  of  good 
compost. 

With  careful  planting  in  the  way  described,  and  strong 
plants  to  begin  with,  the  bed  will  yield  a  fair  crop  the  third 
season,  and  a  full  one  every  year  afterwards.  The  wise  grower 
will  cut  sparingly  the  first  cropping  season,  and  always  and 
every  season  stop  cutting  at  the  first  indication  of  weakness  of 
the  plants.  Long-continued  cutting  is  a  great  strain  on  the 
roots,  and  some  rest  is 
absolutely  needed  to  keep 
them  in  health  and  strength. 
Some  kind  of  manure  is 
to  be  given  every  spring, 
according  to  the  needs  of| 
the  soil.  Compost  may  be 
alternated  with  commercial 
fertilizers.  A  good  practice 
followed  by  growers  in 

New  Jersey  and  elsewhere,  "     Home-made  Asparagus  Buncher. 
is  to  open  a  furrow  with  a 

one-horse  plow  between  each  two  rows,  fill  this  with  compost,  and 
turn  the  soil  back  upon  it.  Excessive  manuring  will  hardly  ever 
be  required.  Salt  may  be  beneficial  in  some  cases,  but  generally 
has  little  or  no  effect.  Being  a  salt-water  plant,  asparagus  can 
stand  almost  any  quantity  of  salt  without  injury,  but  it  does  not 
show  any  partiality  for  it.  All  manures  should  be  applied  in 
the  spring,  and  an  annual  top-dressing  of  nitrate  of  soda,  at  the 
time  that  the  first  shoots  begin  to  start  (in  March  or  April),  and 
at  the  rate  of  200  or  300  pounds  per  acre,  is  one  of  the  surest- 
paying  investments. 

When  the  time  of  cutting  the  stalks  draws  nigh,  the  rows 
are  nicely  rounded  off,  as  was  shown  on  page  143,  and  the  crop  is 
gathered  every  morning.  Cutting  has  to  be  done  with  a  careful 
hand  in  order  to  avoid  injury  to  the  tops  of  other  stalks  that  have 
not  yet  reached  the  surface. 

MARKETING. — Reject  all  the  ill-shaped  and  under- sized  stalks, 
and  using  one  of  the  modern  asparagus  bunchers  now  on  sale 
in  every  hardware  store,  make  neat,  firm  bunches,  which  should 


146 — How  to  Make  the  Garden  Pay. 

be  about  eight  or  nine  inches  long,  and  four  or  five  in  diameter, 
holding  two  or  three  pounds  of  "  grass".  Rubber  bands  are 
now  coming  in  use  in  place  of  raffia  or  other  tying  materials ; 
they  save  time  and  make  a  neat,  salable  package.  The  butt  ends 
of  each  bundle  are  squared  by  a  smooth,  clean  cut.  People 
who  have  only  a  comparatively  small  area  in  asparagus,  may,  if 
they  prefer,  bunch  their  stalks  by  means  of  a  home-made 
buncher,  such  as,  for  instance,  is  illustrated  on  page  145.  It 
needs  no  further  description. 

If  the  product  is  to  be  shipped  to  market,  the  bunches,  to 
insure  their  arrival  in  market  in  best  condition,  are  packed  in 
some  soft  material,  and  pressed  firmly  and  tightly  into  the  package 
to  prevent  injury  by  jarring  or  shaking  about.  Knives  for  cutting 


Asparagus  Knife. 

the  crop  are  kept  on  sale  by  hardware  dealers,  seedsmen,  etc. 
One  of  the  various  shapes  is  illustrated  above.  In  an  emergency 
a  common  sharp  kitchen  knife  will  answer. 

SUPERIOR  METHOD  FOR  AMATEURS. — The  home  grower  who 
is  after  extra  quality,  can  well  afford  to  take  a  little  extra  pains  in 
the  preparation  of  his  bed.  Instead  of  filling  the  furrows  with 
soil  simply,  he  may  prepare  a  very  light,  very  porous  compost 
of  fresh  horse  droppings,  muck,  wood,, or  chip  dirt,  chaff,  fine 
sawdust,  rotten  forest  leaves,  etc.  This  material  lies  very  loosely 
over  the  crowns  of  the  plants,  and  is  warmed  through  very 
easily  by  the  sun  rays,  at  the  same  time  affording  a  good  protec- 
tion from  cold.  Instead  of  cutting  the  stalks  with  a  knife,  the 
hand  can  be  easily  pushed  down  along  them  into  the  loose  soil, 
and  the  stalks  snapped  off  at  the  base  with  a  pressure  of  the 
finger.  Asparagus  grown  in  this  way  is  very  superior,  and  it 
may  even  be  profitable  when  thus  grown  on  a  larger  scale  for 
market.  I  have  been  well  pleased  with  the  results  of  one  trial. 

VARIETIES. 

Conover's  Colossal  is  the  variety  now  generally  grown 
by  both  market  and  home  growers.  Philadelphia  Mammoth, 
recently  introduced  as  an  extra  large  and  prolific  sort,  Palmetto, 
and  a  few  other  newer  varieties,  have  not  been  generally  tested, 
but  deserve  further  trial. 

BALM. 

Melissa  Officinalis.  German,  Citronen  Melissc;  French, 
Melisse  Citronelle;  Spanish,  Toronjil  Citronella. — Although  a 
perennial,  balm  is  usually  cultivated  as  an  annual.  Sow  seed  in 
finely  prepared  soil,  in  April  or  May,  having  drills  one  foot  apart, 


Cultural  Directions. — 147 

and  thin  or  transplant  to  six  or  eight  inches.  It  can  also  be 
grown  by  division  of  the  root.  In  that  case  plant  in  spring  one 
foot  apart  each  way.  All  the  green  parts  of  the  plant  have 
a  most  agreeable  aromatic  odor,  especially 
when  bruised.  The  leaves  are  used  for  seasoning. 

BASIL— SWEET. 

Ocymum  Basidcum.  German,  Basilienkraut; 
French,  Basilic;  Spanish,  Albaca. — Select  light, 
warm,  rich  soil,  and  sow  in  May,  in  drills  one 
foot  apart,  thinning  or  transplanting  to  6  or  8 
inches  apart.  The  leaves  have  an  agreeable 
perfume  and  flavor  and  are  used  for  seasoning. 

Sweet  Basil. 

BEANS. 

Phaseolus.  German,  Bohne ;  French,  Haricot;  Spanish, 
Judia. — Horticulturally  we  divide  the  varieties  of  this  important 
vegetable  in  two  great  sections — the  Bush  and  the  Pole  varieties. 
In  the  former  we  include  all  those  usually  grown  as  a  field  crop 
for  dry  shelled  beans,  as  also  the  various  green-podded  snaps, 
and  the  yellow-podded  wax  beans.  A  more  practical  classifica- 
tion could  hardly  be  adopted,  since  the  cultivation  of  all  the 
varieties  of  each  section  is  pretty  much  the  same. 

BUSH  BEANS. 

The  modest  requirements  of  the  crop  are  proverbial,  and  so 
it  is  nothing  uncommon  to  hear  farmers  speak  of  land  "  too  poor 
to  raise  white  beans."  Yet  the  fact  which  this  suggests,  is  true 
only  in  a  very  limited  sense.  Their  cultivation  is  decidedly  easy 
and  simple,  and  a  crop  can  be  grown  on  soils  of  most  widely- 
difTering  character;  but  a  crop  worth  growing  cannot  be  produced 
on  soils  exhausted  of  available  mineral  elements  of  plant  food, 
especially  of  potash.  Wood  ashes  and  other  potash  fertilizers 
are  generally  of  especial  benefit  to  this  crop. 

All  beans  are  somewhat  tender,  and  should  not  be  planted 
until  danger  of  late  spring  frosts  is  past,  or  until  the  time  farmers 
usually  plant  corn.  For  a  field  crop,  on  a  large  scale,  seed  is 
best  sown  with  a  one  or  two-horse  drill ;  but  it  can  also  be  done 
with  the  garden  drill.  I  prefer  to  lay  off  the  land  in  furrows,  three 
feet  or  so  apart,  made  with  a  common  field  marker,  and  to  follow 
with  the  drill  in  these  marks.  This  deposits  the  seed  just 
about  right,  two  or  three  inches  deep,  and  if  any  of  the  beans 
remain  uncovered  in  the  rows,  I  follow,  cover  and  firm  them 
with  the  feet.  In  the  garden  I  simply  open  furrows,  either  with 
a  hand  plow,  or  with  the  hoe,  or  in  any  other  convenient  way, 
scatter  the  seed  an  inch  or  two  apart  in  the  furrow,  and 


148 — How  to  Make  the  Garden  Pay. 

immediately  cover  the  soil  in  over  the  seed  with  the  feet,  firming 
the  soil  as  I  go,  in  one  operation.  For  the  first  crop  we  may  select 
land  just  cleared  from  early  radishes  or  spinach,  and  for  successive 
crops,  any  ground  as  it  becomes  vacant,  continuing  the  planting 
every  two  weeks  until  July  or  August.  The  width  of  rows  may 
be  varied  between  one  and  one-half  and  three  feet,  according  to 
the  gardener's  convenience  and  the  fertility  of  the  soil.  For  it 
is  a  very  general  rule,  applicable  to  all  crops,  that  for  best  results 
we  must  plant  the  closer  the  poorer  the  ground,  and  the  wider 
the  richer  it  is. 

After-culture  consists  in  simply  keeping  the  ground  well 
stirred,  either  with  horse  or  hand  cultivator,  and  free  from  weeds 
and  in  drawing  up  the  soil  slightly  to  the  rows  when  the  plants 
have  attained  some  size.  An  old  precept  warns  against  hoeing 
or  working  among  beans  when  the  leaves  are  wet  with  rain  or  dew, 
as  rendering  them  liable  to  become  affected  with  rust  under  this 

treatment.  The  statement  is 
periodically  passed  around  in 
the  agricultural  press.  Profes- 
sional writers,  who  are  not 
always  practical  gardeners,  love 
to  repeat  it.  I  am  not  afraid  to 
hoe  my  bean  vines  any  time  that 
it  is  convenient  for  me  to  do  so  ; 
and  I  have  never  yet  noticed 
the  bad  results  prophesied. 

HARVESTING  DRY  SHELLED 
BEANS. — The  field  varieties,  or 
any  of  the  garden  sorts  grown 
for  seed  on  a  large  scale,  are 

harvested  as  soon  as  ripe,  best 
Round  Pod  Valentine.  by  means  of  Qne  of  the  modern 

devices  constructed  for  the  purpose,  and  operated  by  one  or  two 
horses,  or  the  plants  are  pulled  up  by  hand,  laid  in  rows  on  the 
ground,  and  when  sufficiently  cured,  put  in  small  stocks,  or 
taken  to  the  barn  and  in  due  time  thrashed  out  and  cleaned. 
Beans  intended  for  market  must  be  picked  over  by  hand — a  some- 
what tedious  operation,  which,  however,  can  be  performed  during 
the  winter  and  winter  evenings  at  leisure,  and  by  cheap  labor. 

Along  the  coast,  near  the  principal  shipping  places,  from  Vir- 
ginia to  Florida,  string  or  snap  beans  are  quite  extensively  grown 
for  northern  markets ;  and  there  they  generally  pay  quite  well. 

VARIETIES. 

Early  Round  Pod  Valentine  resembles  the  older  Early 
Red  Valentine  in  every  way,  but  is  somewhat  earlier.  In  this  we 
have  probably  the  best  variety  for  market  garden  purposes. 


Cultural  Directions. — 149 

Early  Valentine.  The  pods  are  fleshy,  tender,  succulent, 
and  remain  on  the  vines  in  condition  for  table  use  longer  than 
those  of  most  other  varieties.  Seeds  speckled. 

Yellow  Six  Weeks. — Very  early,  with  straight  flat  pods. 

Early  Mohawk.  A  hardy,  early  sort,  and  of  oldrestablished 
reputation.  Color  of  seeds,  a  kind  of  drab,  spotted  with  purple. 

Refugee.  (Thousand -to-one.) — Somewhat  later  than  the 
preceding  two,  but  very  productive;  pods  tender;  seed  speckled. 
Largely  grown  for  pickling. 

Nonpareil  Green  Pod. — About  the  very  last  bean  to 
mature ;  a  wonderfully  vigorous  grower ;  vines  being  always  full 
of  numbers  of  long  dark  green  pods. 

Best  of  All.  A  medium  early,  thritty  and  productive 
variety.  Pods  are  long,  stringless  and  of  good  quality. 

The  leading  sorts  grown  in  field  culture  as  dry  shelled  beans 
are  White  Marrowfat,  Navy  or  Pea  Bean,  Prolific  Tree 
Bean,  Red  and  White  Kidney 
Bean.  The  newly  introduced 
Burlingame  Mediums  is 
claimed  to  be  the  earliest, 
hardiest  and  most  productive 
field  bean  in  America.  The 
wax  sorts,  with  their  tender, 
delicate  yellowish  pods,  are 
especially  suited  for  culture  in 
the  home  garden.  The  list  of 
varieties  has  been  swelled  very 
largely  by  recent  introductions. 
We  may  choose  among  a  large 
number  and  hardly  make  a  miss.  Maule  s  Butter  Wax" 

Black  Wax  is  one  of  the  older  standard  sorts,  with  tender, 
waxy,  yellow  pods.  Seed  black. 

White  Wax  differs  from  the  preceding  chiefly  in  color  of 
the  seed,  which  is  white. 

Yosemite. — No  other  dwarf  bush  bean  approaches  Yosemite 
in  size;  the  pods  being  often  eight  to  ten  inches  long,  and  as  thick  as 
a  man's  finger.  The  pods  are  nearly  all  solid  meat,  and  stringless, 
always  cooking  tender  and  delicious.  It  is  enormously  prolific. 

New  Prolific  German  Wax. — A  decided  improvement  on 
the  old  German  Butter  Wax,  and  more  than  twice  as  prolific. 
The  very  handsome,  golden  yellow  pods,  entirely  stringless,  are 
borne  in  immense  quantities  on  every  plant. 

Golden  Wax,  one  of  the  newer  introductions,  is  early, 
prolific,  and  altogether  reliable  both  for  market  and  home  use. 

Maule's  Butter  Wax. — A  very  early  wax  bean  of  superior 
quality ;  full  of  solid  meat,  as  a  pithy  or  hollow  pod  can  seldom 
be  found. 


150 — How  to  Make  the  Garden  Pay. 

Perfection  or  Flageolet  Wax  resembles  the  preceding,  but 
is  characterized  by  remarkable  vigor  of  plant  and  productiveness. 

Ivory  Pod  Wax.  A  moderate  grower  only,  but  producing 
tender,  exquisitely  delicate,  white,  waxy  pods  in  great  profusion, 
and  during  a  longer  period  than  most  other  bush  sorts. 
Especially  valuable  for  the  home  garden. 

POLE  OR  RUNNING  BEANS. 

The  running  or  pole  varieties  are  still  tenderer  than  the 
bush  sorts,  and  should  not  be  planted  until  the  weather  has 
become  thoroughly  settled,  and  the  ground  warm  in  spring. 
Seed,  when  planted  in  cold,  wet  ground,  is  much  more  liable  to 
rot  than  to  germinate.  All,  especially  that  king  of  beans,  the 
Lima,  need  high  culture,  and  succeed  best  in  rich,  sandy 
loam,  but  can  be  grown  in  any  rich,  warm  soil.  The  Limas 
are  one  of  those  crops  that  find  ready  sale  in  almost  any 
larger  market,  and  in  suitable  localities  are  grown  with  fair  profit. 

The  usual  way  of  proceeding  is  to  set  poles  four  feet 
apart  each  way.  These  poles,  as  used  by  most  growers,  are 
from  eight  to  ten  feet  high,  which  I  think  is  from  two  to  four 
feet  more  than  is  really  necessary,  or  even  of  advantage.  The 
height  of  pole  should  correspond  with  the  length  of  the  season 
in  any  given  locality,  five  or  six  feet  being  fully  sufficient,  and 
better  than  more,  for  the  short  northern  season.  At  the  south 
they  might  be  a  foot  or  two  longer,  as  this  will  have  a  tendency 
to  lengthen  the  bearing  period. 

The  hills,  previous  to  setting  the  poles,  should  be  made 
rich  and  porous,  by  mixing  a  shovelful  or  two  of  well-rotted 
compost  with  the  soil.  Five  or  six  seeds  are  then  to  be  planted 
in  a  circle  around  each  pole.  Press  each  one  firmly  into  the 
soil,  nearly  or  fully  two  inches  deep.  All  our  old  precepts 
agree  in  recommending  to  place  the  seed  eye  downward.  Prof. 
Halstead,  upsetting  this  old  theory,  proves  that  the  seeds  should 
always  be  planted  flat  on  their  side.  In  practice,  however,  it 
seems  to  make  little,  if  any  difference,  and  in  drill  planting  I 
simply  scatter  the  seed  in  the  furrow  and  cover  them  up  with 
feet  or  hoe. 

Thorough  cultivation  and  frequent  hoeing  will  make  the 
young  plants  grow  rapidly  and  vigorously,  and  soon  the  vines 
will  require  tying  to  the  poles.  The  pods  are  gathered  as  the 
seeds  in  them  get  large,  and  shelled  for  market  or  the  table. 
In  some  localities  the  beans  are  sold  in  the  pod.  The  ripe  beans 
also  find  a  willing  market  at  from  $4.00  upwards  per  bushel, 
and  the  crop  is  generally  a  profitable  one  in  either  case. 

In  my  own  practice  I  prefer  to  grow  the  Limas  and 
other  running  sorts  on  a  trellis  instead  of  poles.  The 
illustration  on  next  page  shows  a  small  section  of  what 


Cultural  Directions. — 151 

I  am  tempted  to  call  a  model  trellis  for  this  purpose. 
Heavy  posts  are  set  firmly  and  deeply  into  the  ground 
at  the  ends  of  each  row,  and  smaller  or  stout  stakes  at  intervals 
of  1 8  or  20  feet  between  them.  The  upper  end  of  posts  and 
stakes  is  sawed  off  square  at  a  height  of  five  feet,  and  in  line,  so 
that  a  perfectly  straight  wire  (10  or  12  size)  can  be  run  from  end  to 
end  over  the  tops,  where  it  is  held  by  simple  wire  staples,  but 
firmly  fastened  to  the  end  posts,  which,  for  safety's  sake,  should 
be  firmly  braced.  A  lighter  wire  or  twine  is  run  from  post  to 
post  at  a  height  of  about  6  inches  from  the  ground,  and  common 
white  cotton  yarn  wound  zig-zag  around  the  two  wires  (or  the 
wire  and  twine).  Usually  I  have  a  row  of  Limas,  etc.,  in  this 
shape  on  one  side  of  my  kitchen  garden,  running  its  entire 
length,  and  fully  four  feet  away  from  other  vegetables,  in  order 
to  give  a  fair  chance  for  thorough  horse  work.  I  also  aim  to  set 
the  posts  straight  and  uniform,  to  stretch  the  wires  reasonably 
tight,  and  to  adjust  the  yarn  regularly;  and  I  can  assure  you  that 
this  trellis  is  not  only  useful,  but  when  vine-clad,  also  quite  an 


Trellis  for  Lima  Beans. 

ornament  to  the  garden.  With  such  a  trellis  the  vines  require 
very  little  attention  in  the  way  of  fastening  to  the  strings.  The 
latter  are  so  temptingly  near,  that  the  runners  take  hold  without 
much  coaxing. 

One  of  the  most  important  advantages  of  this  trellis  style 
over  the  pole  method,  I  find  is  the  opportunity  which  it  affords 
us  to  plant  the  Limas  in  a  continuous  row.  Here  I  use 
plenty  of  seed,  for  I  am  anxious  to  secure  a  full  stand,  and  prefer 
pulling  up  plants  rather  than  have  vacant  spots  that  spoil  the 
looks  of  the  whole,  and  materially  diminish  the  yield.  Should  a 
bare  space  occur  after  all,  it  is  easy  enough  to  fill  it  with  plants 
taken  up  from  where  they  stand  pretty  thickly.  Lima  beans 
transplant  quite  readily,  especially  if  lifted  after  a  rain.  Care- 
fully take  up  a  clump  of  soil  with  a  few  plants  on  it,  on  a  spade 
or  trowel,  and  set  where  needed  to  fill  a  gap. 

The  royal  Lima  requires  a  pretty  long  season.  Many 
gardeners  pinch  the  ends  of  the  runners  after  they  have  made 
five  or  six  feet  of  growth,  for  the  purpose  of  hastening  the  crop. 
This  treatment  is  not  needed,  especially  with  short  poles  or  the 


152— How  to  Make  the  Garden  Pay. 

five-foot  trellis,  since  the  forced  downward  course  of  the  vines, 
after  they  have  reached  the  highest  point  of  the  comparatively 
low  support,  gives  us  practically  the  same  effect  as  pinching  back. 
The  great  fault  of  the  Limas  in  the  northern  states  is  their 
lateness.  We  often  only  get  a  small  part  of  the  crop  to  reach 
table  size,  not  to  mention  the  difficulty  of  getting  them  to  mature 
on  the  vines.  To  make  the  crop  earlier  by  a  week  or  two,  the 
seed  can  be  planted  in  a  cold  frame  or  hot-bed,  either  in  pots  or 
on  pieces  of  inverted  sod,  about  two  or  three  weeks  before  it 
could  be  safely  planted  in  the  open  ground.  At  the  proper  time, 
the  sods,  or  the  plants  turned  out  of  the  pots,  are  then  set  4  feet 
each  way  for  poles,  or  2  feet  in  the  row  if  for  trellis. 
Three  or  four  good  plants  are  left  to  grow  in  each  hill  in  the 
former  case,  and  two  plants  only  in  the  latter.  When  seed  is 
planted  in  drills,  as  described  for  my  trellis  method,  the  plants,  of 
course  have  to  be  properly  thinned,  one  to  every  9  or  12  inches. 

VARIETIES. 

I  have  tested  about  a  dozen  different  varieties  of  the  Lima 
bean,  but  found  next  to  no  difference  in  time  of  giving  earliest 
picking. 

Large  Lima. — This  is  the  old  standard  sort,  reliable  and 
productive.  Salem  Improved  is  introduced  as  a  selected  and 
superior  strain  of  this. 

Extra  Early,  Early  Jersey,  or  Extra  Early  Jersey. — 
Proves  to  be  slightly  earlier  than  the  Large  Lima,  and  is  claimed 
to  be  the  earliest  of  this  class.  Pods  are  quite  long,  and  well 
filled.  I  have  picked  pods  containing  seven  and  eight  seeds  each 
in  New  Jersey. 

Dreer's  Lima  gives  quite  short,  but  closely-filled  pods. 
The  seeds  are  rounder  and  plumper  than  those  of  any  other  Lima, 
and  of  superior  quality.  A  fine  variety  for  the  home  grower,  and 
profitable  for  the  market  gardener  who  sells  the  shelled  bean,  or 
for  the  consumer  who  buys  in  the  pod. 

King  of  the  Garden. — Pods  of  enormous  size,  beans 
large.  The  reverse  of  Dreer's — profitable  to  sell  in  the  pod, 
and  to  buy  shelled. 

Red  and  Speckled  Lima  are  newer  introductions  of 
strong  and  vigorous  growth,  about  as  early  as  the  earliest,  and 
decidedly  prolific.  Seed  of  fine,  rich  flavor,  but  objectionable 
in  color,  and  consequently  not  wanted  for  market. 

Small  Lima  or  Sieva. — I  cannot  see  that  this  makes  up  fc. 
earliness  for  what  it  lacks  in  size,  productiveness  and  flavor.  So 
I  have  no  use  for  it  in  my  garden. 

Henderson's  Bush  Lima  might  be  included  in  this  list. 
It  appears  to  be  a  dwarf  sport  of  the  Small  Lima  or  Sieva, 
resembling  it  in  every  respect  except  habit  of  growth.  Its  bush 


Cultural  Directions. — 153 


form,  great  product- 
iveness and  extreme 
^arliness  are  its  chief 
points  of  merits.  The 
Large  Lima  is  now 
also  reduced  to  bush 
form  in  Burpee's 
Large  Bush  Lima, 
and  Dreer's  Lima  in 
the  Kumerle  Lima. 

Of  other  pole  vari- 
eties, I  will  mention 
White  Creaseback,  a 
green-podded  pole 
string  bean,  claimed  to 
be  the  earliest  of  that 
Lazy  Wives.  cjags  Golden  Cluster. 

German   Wax,  Golden    Wax   and    Golden    Cluster  are 
yellow-podded  running  sorts  for  both  string   and  shell  beans. 


154 — How  to  Make  the  Garden  Pay. 

Lazy  Wives. — Pods  are  wonderfully  broad,  thick,  fleshy, 
and  above  all  entirely  stringless,  retaining  their  stringless  and 
tender  qualities  until  they  are  almost  ripe.  The  vines  cling 
remarkably  well  to  the  poles.  Pods  are  rather  flattish,  oval 
shape,  and  when  fully  grown  are  from  four  to  six  inches  long. 

Horticultural,  Speckled  Cranberry  or  Quail  Track,  much 
esteemed  for  the  home  garden.  Seeds  oval,  speckled. 

Improved  Dutch  Runner  has  many  of  the  characteristics 
of  the  Lima  in  growth,  and  is  very  productive.  Beans  clear 
white  and  of  largest  size.  Next  to  the  Lima,  the  best  for  market. 

Scarlet  Runner. — A  strong  grower;  flowers  of  beautiful 
scarlet,  and  produced  in  great  abundance.  Probably  more 
ornamental,  than  useful  for  the  table. 

BEETS. 

Beta  Vulgaris.  German,  Rothe  Rube ;  French,  Betterave. 
Beets  for  early  bunching  are  a  leading  crop  of  the  market 
garden,  and  generally  quite  a  profitable  one.  I  have  already  in 
a  former  chapter  alluded  to  their  cultivation  under  glass,  in  cold 
frames,  and  cold  houses.  In  open  air  they  are  grown  in  a 
similar  way,  only  more  space  is  usually  given, 
and  no  radishes  are  grown  between  them  as 
a  secondary  crop.  Rich  warm  soil  (sandy 
loam)  is  the  chief  requisite.  It  is  well- 
manured  with  rotted  compost,  and  prepared 
as  for  other  small  vegetables,  that  is  to  say, 
plowed  well,  harrowed  well,  and  made  thor- 
oughly smooth,  if  necessary  with  steel  rake. 
In  early  spring  when  soil  conditions  and 
weather  will  permit,  the  seed  is  sown  in  drills 
from  12  to  1 8  inches  apart,  and  clean  and 
thorough  cultivation  given  from  the  start. 
The  crop  is  especially  grateful  for  one  or  more 
applications  of  nitrate  of  soda,  and  can  be 
largely  increased  or  made  earlier  by  this 
means.'  The  market  gardener's  aim  is  to  get 
a  uniform  lot  of  roots,  bunch  them  for  market 
while  small  (two  to  three  inches  in  diameter), 
clear  the  land  at  the  earliest  possible  date,  and 
replant  to  some  other  crop.  From  this  stand- 
point he  must  thin  to  a  uniform  distance  of 
three  or  four  inches  soon  after  the  plants 
have  made  a  few  leaves ;  and  since  he  does  not  intend  to  let  the 
plants  grow  to  large  size  in  the  bed,  he  can  make  the  rows  as 
close  as  he  may  desire,  12  inches  distance  between  them  being 
ample.  In  the  kitchen  garden  we  usually  have  the  rows  15  or 


Cultural  Directions. — 155 

1 8  inches  apart,  since  we  prefer  to  use  up  the  crop  gradually, 
perhaps  thinning  at  first  for  greens,  then  beginning  to  pull  the 
roots  when  yet  small,  and  continue  using  them  as  we  desire  for 
the  table,  thinning  all  the  time, 
and  perhaps  leaving  the  last  of 
the  crop  to  attain  quite  a  res- 
pectable size.  For  a  succession, 
seed  can  be  sown  every  two 
weeks  until  midsummer,  if 
desired.  A  supply  for  winter 
use  may  be  stored  in  boxes,  = 
barrels  or  heaps  in  the  cellar, 
but  should  always  be  kept  cov- 
ered with  sand,  soil,  sods,  etc., 
to  prevent  evaporation,  and 
consequent  wilting,  and  shriv- 
elling of  the  roots.  The  pitting  j 
method,  as  hereafter  described 


for  mangel  wurzels,  can  hardly  be 
improved  upon  for  keeping  beets 
fresh,  crisp,  and  in  best  table  condi- 
tion generally,  until  spring. 

VARIETIES. 

Extra  Early  Egyptian,  Early 
Egyptian  or  Egyptian  Turnip. — 
This  and  the  Eclipse  are  now  almost 
the  only  kinds  grown  for  early 
market  in  many  localities.  Tops 
small.  Roots  of  a  uniform  deep 

,  _  blood  color,  and  of  rapid  growth. 

Improved  Blood  Turmp.        ^  for  forcjng 

Eclipse. — This  is  now  preferred  to  the  Egyptian  by  many 
gardeners.  Flesh  much  lighter  in  color.  About  as  early,  and 
idecidedly  a  good  variety. 

Bastian's  Early  Turnip, 

Philadelphia  Lentz  Early  Turnip, 

Blood  Turnip, 

Improved  Blood  Turnip, 


156 — How  to  Make  the  Garden  Pay. 

Early  Bassano, 
Edmand's  Turnip,  etc. 

All  these  belong  to  the  class  of  "  Blood  Turnip  Beets,"  ana 
are  good  early  or  intermediate  sorts  for  the  home  garden  every- 
where, and  for  market  in  many  places.  All  are  so  reliable,  it 
would  not  be  easy  to  choose  the  best  among  them. 

New  Market  Gardeners,  is  very  symmetrical,  with  small 
tap-root,  and  but  few  fibrous  roots.  One  sowing  only  is 
necessary  to  produce  early  beets  for  market  and  main  crop  for 

winter  use.  Color  outside  is  deep 
red;  inside  layers  of  blood  red 
and  light  red  alternately. 

Half  Long  Blood  is  in  shape 
what  the  name  indicates.  Good 
for  second  early,  late  fall  or  winter. 
(Long  or)  Improved  Long 
Blood  still  remains  a  standard 
late  and  winter  variety,  excellent 
for  the  kitchen  garden.  Color  of 
root  a  dark  crimson. 

Swiss  Chard  forms  no  edible 
root,  and  is  cultivated  mainly  for 
its  leaves,  which  make  very  fair 
greens,  like  spinach.  The  coarse 
midribs  of  the  leaves  are  some- 
times served  like  asparagus,  and 
by  some  pronounced  a  good  sub- 
stitute for  it.  There  are  also 
varieties  having  variegated  and  quite  ornamental  foliage,  and  we 
sometimes  meet  them  in  flower  gardens  and  borders. 

BEET. — Mangel-Wurzel  and  Sugar. 

Root  crops  for  stock  (horses,  cattle,  sheep,  swine),  chief 
among  them  the  mangels,  sugar  beets  and  carrots,  are  not  yet 
appreciated  as  a  farm  crop  by  our  people  as  they  deserve  to  be. 
I  have  grown  such  crops  for  many  years,  to  a  greater  or  smaller 
extent,  and  can  assure  my  friends  that  they  are  exceedingly 
profitable.  Such  immense  amounts  of  succulent  food  for  winter 
and  spring  feeding,  in  the  shape  of  mangels,  can  be  produced  on 
comparatively  small  areas,  when  well  managed,  that  I  am  con- 
vinced any  farmer  who  keeps  stock,  but  makes  no  use  of  the 
silo  method,  will  never  again  omit  planting  mangels,  carrots  or 
both,  after  having  once  made  a  thorough  trial  in  the  right  way. 
This  latter  is  the  important  point ;  for  if  mismanaged,  the  first 
trial  is  apt  to  result  in  utter  disgust.  Begin  cautiously ;  plant  a 
small  area,  and  never  more  than  you  are  sure  you  can  give 


Cultural  Directions. — 157 

prompt  attention  when  needed.  This  will  show  the  novice 
how  to  proceed,  and  insure  his  success,  even  on  an  enlarged 
scale. 

PLANTING  MANGELS. — The  safest  way,  especially  for  the 
beginner  or  when  cultivating  a  somewhat  large  area,  is  to  plant 
wide  enough  for  easy  cultivation  by  horse  power — say  in  drills 
three  feet  apart.  Select  any  piece  of  good,  clean  farm  land,  but 
giving  a  young  clover  sod  the  prefer- 
ence. Cart  on  plenty  of  good  fine 
manure ;  40  loads  to  the  acre  is  not 
too  much,  and  even  more  will  pay. 
This  is  plowed  in ;  or  composted 
poultry  manure,  in  smaller  quantity, 
may  be  applied  after  plowing,  and 
harrowed  in.  Get  the  land  in  good 
condition  for  sowing  the  seed,  by  the 
use  of  roller,  smoothing  harrow,  or,  if 
you  have  it,  of  the  small  disk  (Meeker) 
harrow.  The  surface  should  be  smooth 
and  fine.  A  good  way  of  sowing  seed 
is  with  a  grain  drill,  with  part  of  the 
discharge  tubes  thrown  out  of  gear,  so 
that  those  in  operation  will  leave  the 
drills  somewhere  near  three  feet  apart. 


Or  the  field  may  be  marked  off  in  shallow  furrows,  of  distance 
mentioned,  with  a  common  field  marker,  and  seed  sown  with 
the  garden  drill,  following  in  the  marks  and  sowing  about  four 
pounds  of  seed  to  the  acre.  If  you  have  no  drill,  you  can 
simply  drop  a  pinch  of  seed  (three  or  four)  every  1 2  inches 
apart  in  furrows  made  same  as  for  planting  corn,  preferably 
one  and  a  half  inches  deep.  Then  cover  with  the  hoe  or  foot, 
and  firm  by  stepping  upon  it,  or  pressing  soil  upon  it  with  the 


158 — How  to  Make  the  Garden  Pay. 

back  of  hoe.  A  few  radish  seeds  might  also  be  scattered  along 
the  rows  with  the  beet  seed.  The  radishes  will  better  indicate 
the  rows,  so  that  we  can  begin  to  cultivate  a  few  days  after  sow- 
ing. The  radishes  may  be  pulled  up  when  of  table  or  market- 
able size. 

CULTIVATION. — Prompt  action  is  the  all  important  point. 
Weeds  should  never  be  allowed  to  crowd.  Cultivate  with  a 
narrow-bladed  horse-hoe  or  cultivator;  hoe  as  often  as  needed, 
and  while  the  plants  are  young,  run  the  hand  wheel-hoe  astraddle 
the  rows,  to  keep  them  as  near  as  possible  free  from  weeds  with- 
out much  hand  hoeing  or  hand 
weeding.  Thinning  should  be 
attended  to  before  the  plants 
begin  to  crowd  one  another. 
Most  of  this  work  can  be  done 
with  a  hoe,  and  since  we  desire 
but  one  good  plant  to  10  or  12 
inches  of  drill,  we  can  easily 
strike  out  the  plants  and  weeds 
growing  on  the  spaces  between. 
Of  course  there  may  be  a  num- 
ber of  plants  left  on  each  clump 
near  the  plant  we  wish  to  save, 
especially  where  the  seed  was 
sowed  like  corn  (in  pinches). 
We  then  have  to  pull  up  the 
surplus  plants  by  hand. 

GATHERING  AND  STORING. — 
Thorough  cultivation  and  timely 
attention  on  good  and  well- 
manured  land  is  pretty  apt  to 
bring  a  crop  that  will  astonish 
the  novice,  as  a  yield  of  40,  60, 
and  even  more  tons  to  the  acre 
is  not  uncommon  under  favor- 
able circumstances.  Before  frost, 

in  autumn,  the  beets  are  pulled  by  hand  and  thrown  in  heaps  to  be 
topped  (i.  e.y  foliage  cut  off  with  a  sickle  or  corn  cutter)  and  drawn 
to  the  cellar  or  pit.  The  best  storage  place,  undoubtedly,  is  a  reg- 
ular root  cellar  in  the  basement  of  the  barn.  A  separate  root  or 
potato  cellar,  such  as  a  dug-out  in  a  hill-side,  or  the  root  cellar 
described  for  the  winter  storage  of  celery,  also  makes  a  very  good 
place  for  beets,  carrots,  etc.,  to  be  fed  out  during  winter  and  spring. 
If  we  have  neither  of  these  conveniences,  we  must  store  what  we 
want  to  use  during  winter  in  the  cellar  we  have  at  our  command, 
although  it  is  not  a  wise  nor  safe-practice  to  store  many  vegetables 
and  fruits  under  the  rooms  in  which  we  live,  and  rear  a  family. 


Cultural  Directions. — 159 

No  difficulty  will  be  experienced  in  carrying  root  crops  over 
until  spring  in  pits  outdoors,  in  same  way  as  farmers  frequently 
winter  apples  and  potatoes.  Select  a  dry  spot  or  one  for  which 
drainage  can  easily  be  provided,  and  dig  an  excavation  about  a 
foot  or  1 8  inches  deep,  6  feet  wide,  and  of  the  length  required  to 
hold  the  quantity  of  roots  to  be  wintered  over.  They  are  placed 
in  a  conical  heap,  as  shown  in  illustration  on  page  160,  covered 
with  six,  eight,  ten  or  twelve  inches  of  straw, 
according  to  the  severity  of  the  winters  in  the 
particular  locality,  and  with  a  foot  of  soil 
upon  the  straw.  A  whisk  of  straw  or  a  sec- 
tion of  common  tile  drain,  reaching  from  the 
straw  covering  through  the  soil  to  the  outside, 
should  be  adjusted  in  the  centre  of  every  eight 
or  ten  foot  section  to  provide  the  required 
ventilation.  If  such  a  pit  is  opened  before  the 
cold  weather  has  entirely  passed,  the  roots 
remaining  in  it  need  careful  covering  to  guard 
against  freezing. 

VARIETIES. 

Long  Red. — This  with  its  various  strains 
and  improvements,  Prize  Long  Red,  Jumbo, 
etc.,  is  the  variety  for  rich,  deep  soil,  where  it 
grows  to  enormous  size. 

Yellow  Tankard,  Golden  Tankard.— A 
beautiful,  solid  and  prolific  variety.  Flesh  rich, 
deep  yellow  all  through. 

Yellow  Globe  and  its  various  strains, 
Champion  Yellow  Globe,  Kinver  Globe, 
etc.,  are  preferable  for  shallower  soil,  and 
reliable  for  all.  Roundish  in  shape,  beautiful, 
solid,  and  altogether  desirable.  When  young 
they  make  very  fine  table  beets;  by  many 
people  even  preferred  to  the  Blood  varieties. 

Giant  Yellow  Intermediate. — This  new 
variety  has  a  magnificent  root,  which  is  easily 
lifted  from  the  ground.  Produces  very  large 
crops,  and  has  proven  itself  to  be  a  most 
excellent  keeper.  Has  a  fine  neck,  large 
leaves  with  green  stems,  and  very  smooth  skin ; 
sweet. 

Gatepost. — One  of  the  very  finest  mangels, 
heavy,  handsome  and  clean,  with  single  tap-root.  Very  rich 
and  nutritious.  With  good  cultivation  crops  at  the  rate  of  2500 
bushels  per  acre  have  been  grown. 


flesh  firm  and 


The  roots  are 


160 — How  to  Make  the  Garden  Pay. 

Imperial  Sugar,  like  all  other  sugar  beet  varieties,  does 
not  yield  quite  as  handsomely  as  the  mangels,  but  makes  up  in 
richness  what  it  lacks  in  yield.  Especially  profitable  for  cows. 


W':<:':-:'  •'•'•- 

Pit  for  Wintering  Potatoes,  Root  Crops,  etc. 

BORECOLE  (See  Kale). 

BORAGE. 

B  or  ago  Officinalis.  German,  Borretsch  ;  French,  Bourrache  ; 
Spanish,  Boraja. — This  annual,  which  is  of  free-flowering  habit 
and  grows  to  a  .height  of  a  foot  or  18  inches,  is  rarely  found  in 
American  gardens.  It  can  be  grown  as  easily  as  a  weed,  by 
sowing  the  seed  in  any  corner  or  waste  place  in  spring  or 
summer.  Some  uses,  not  known  to  me,  are  made  of  it  in 
cookery,  and  also  in  medical  science. 

BROCCOLI. 

Brassica  Oleracea  (Botrytis). —  German,  Spargel  Kohl; 
French,  Chou-fleur  d'Hiver;  Spanish,  Broculi. —  In  broccoli  we 
have  little  more  than  a  cauliflower  under  another  name.  It  thrives 
under  the  same  conditions  of  culture,  namely, 
moist,  fertile  soil  and  cool  atmosphere,  and  is 
always  grown  for  fall  and  winter  use.  Seed  is 
sown  in  seed  bed  in  May,  or  later  further 
south ;  and  plants  may  be  set  in  July  (August 
or  September  in  southern  latitudes)  in  well- 
^^  manured  and  well-prepared  soil,  2^4  to  3  feet 
by  \y2  feet  apart.  Cultivate  and  hoe  fre- 
quently. Heat  and  drought  are  the  great 
enemies  of  the  crop,  and  often  prove  fatal.  A  good  crop,  like 
that  of  the  cauliflower,  however,  hardly  ever  fails  to  be  very 
profitable, 


Cultural  Directions. — 161 

VARIETIES. 

White  Cape  and  Purple  Cape  are  the  varieties  generally 
grown  in  America.  More  than  forty  different  forms  or  varieties 
of  broccoli  are  known  to  English  gardeners. 

BRUSSELS  SPROUTS. 

Brassica  Oleracea. — German,  Bt  usseler  Sprossen  Kohl ; 
French,  Chou  de  Bruxelles. — The  "  head  "  of  this  cabbage  variety 
consists  of  a  few  loose,  crumpled  leaves  borne  on  a  tall  stalk,  and 
no  culinary  use  is  made  of  it.  The  stalk  itself,  however,  is 
surrounded  and  often  completely  covered  by  the  "  sprouts/' 
which  are  miniature  cabbage  heads,  seldom  much  larger  than  a 
walnut,  and  of  choicest  quality,  not  inferior  to  cauli- 
flower. While  it  is  as  easily  grown  as  a  cabbage,  it  is 
seldom  found  in  American  gardens.  There  seems  to 
be  a  good  demand  for  it  in  city  markets,  and  the  crop 
can  be  made  as  remunerative  as  cauliflower.  Sow 
seed  in  April  or  May,  and  in  July  set  the  plants  about 
two  feet  apart  in  soil  prepared  as  for  late  cabbages, 
giving  about  the  same  cultivation.  The  sprouts  will 
be  ready  for  use  in  autumn,  and  until  severe  freezing. 
Where,  as  in  the  south,  the  plants  endure  the  winters  Brussels 
in  open  ground  uninjured,  a  supply  of  sprouts  can  be  Sprouts, 
had  until  spring.  In  gathering,  they  should  not  be  broken  off, 
but  cut  off  the  stems  with  a  sharp  knife,  leaving  as  much  of  the 
spur  as  possibl-e,  in  order  to  induce  the  formation  of  successive 

SPrOUtS'  VARIETIES 

Dwarf  Brussels  Sprouts. — This  is  the  variety  generally 
catalogued  by  American  seedsmen.  It  is  of  low,  compact  growth, 
and  produces  the  little  heads  closely  all  around  the  stalk. 

Tall  Improved. — The  stem  of  this  is  much  taller,  and  the 
heads  grow  more  scatteringly  around  it. 

CABBAGE. 

Brassica  Oleracea.  German,  Kopfkohl ;  French,  Chou; 
Spanish,  Col  Re  polio. 

GROWING  FOR  EARLY  MARKET. — Early  cabbages  are  one  of 
the  foremost  crops  of  the  market  garden,  and  usually  yield  a  fair 
profit.  The  plants  are  started  in  September,  and  wintered  over 
as  directed  in  chapter  on  "  cold  frames,"  or  grown  in  hot-houses  or 
hot-beds  during  the  second  half  of  winter.  When  grown  in  the 
latter  way,  great  pains  should  be  taken  to  have  the  plants 
thoroughly  hardened  off,  for  they  are  to  be  set  as  soon  as  the 
ground  can  be  put  in  working  order,  and  in  all  probability  will 
have  to  endure  considerable  cold  and  uncomfortable  weather. 


162 — How  to  Make  the  Garden  Pay. 

Selection  of  soil  for  the  crop  is  also  of  utmost  importance. 
Nothing  can  be  better  than  a  rich  calcareous  or  sandy  loam, 
naturally  drained,  and  manured  with  at  least  40  tons  of  good  com- 
post to  the  acre,  or  in  the  place  of  it  a  proportionate  quantity 
of  wood  ashes  (a  most  excellent  fertilizer  for  cabbages,  by  the 
way),  complete  concentrated  (commercial)  fertilizers,  etc.  Fall 
plowing,  throwing  up  the  soil  in  ridges  to  better  expose  it  to 
freezing  and  thawing,  always  tends  to  improve  the  mechanical 
condition  of  the  soil,  and  to  get  it  in  planting  condition  much 
earlier  in  spring  than  could  be  expected  otherwise.  Mark  off 
rows  from  2  to  2^4  feet  apart,  and  set  the  plants  16  or  18  inches 

apart  in  the  rows,  and  down 
into  the  ground  to  the  heart. 
Cultivate  and  hoe  frequently 
to  keep  the  ground  mellow, 
moist,  and  free  from  weeds. 
Occasional  dressings  of 
nitrate  of  soda,  at 
the  rate  of  250  to 
300  pounds  in  the 
aggregate,  will  sel- 
dom fail  to  pay 
exceedingly  well.  It 
is  not  necessary, 
either,  as  is  often 
recommended,  that 
these  applications 
should  be  made  dur- 
ing or  just  before 
a  rain.  When  the 
ground  is  reasonably 
moist,  the  effect  is 
sure,  and  all  the 
more  lasting;  even 
if  it  should  not  rain 
for  a  week  or  longer  after  applying  it.  Look  out  for  the  maggot, 
and  if  necessary  resort  to  the  remedies  found  in  the  chapter  on 
"insects.'' 

This  is  the  market  gardener's  method.  The  home  gardener 
is  less  anxious  to  get  cabbages  for  the  table  in  May  or  June. 
If  he  is  content  to  wait  until  nearly  July  for  a  really  superior 
article,  he  may  adopt  my  method  of  sowing  early  in  the  spring 
(March  or  April)  in  open  ground,  in  drills  2  or  2^2  feet  apart, 
and  thinning  to  15  or  18  inches  in  the  drills,  leaving  the  best 
plants.  For  a  second  early  crop  the  market  gardener  can  also 
sow  seed  in  April,  and  transplant  in  May  to  the  permanent  patch, 
or  thin  to  the  proper  distance  apart. 


Wintering  Cat 


Cultural  Directions. — 163 

LATE  CABBAGES. — These  are  much  more  a  farm  than  a  market 
garden  crop,  and  as  a  farm  crop  are  often  quite  profitable.  A 
possible  surplus,  as  well  as  the  waste  and  all  the  unmarketable 
part  of  the  crop  can  generally  be  put  to  good  use  in  the  cattle 
yard.  Sow  seed  during  May  in  seed  bed,  and  transplant  during 
June  in  well-prepared  and  liberally-manured  soil,  making  rows 


Wintering  Cabbages  in  Pit. 

three  feet  apart,  and  plants  from  I  y2  to  3  feet  apart  in  the  row, 
according  to  vigor  of  variety,  and  strength  of  ground ;  or  sow 
thinly  during  June  in  drills  three  feet  apart,  and  afterwards  thin 
to  the  proper  distance.  In  either  case  thorough  cultivation 
and  frequent  hoeing  are  conditions  of  best  success.  The  inter- 
mediate varieties,  such  as  Winningstadt,  Fottler's,  etc.,  will 
often  give  good  heads  for  winter,  at  least  in  a  moist  season, 
even  if  sown  as  late  as  July.  A  handful  of  good  fertilizer,  bone- 
dust,  potash,  etc.,  (according  to  the  needs  of  the  soil)  or  a  some- 
what larger  quantity  of  wood-ashes  or  composted  hen  manure, 
scattered  around  the  plant  after 
it  has  become  well  established 
after  transplanting,  as  also  light 
dressings  of  nitrate  of  soda,  are 
always  a  great  help.  All  of 
our  hard-heading  cabbages,  when 
they  are  approaching  maturity, 
and  are  not  soon  gathered,  are 
liable  to  burst  open  or  crack, 
which  spoils  them  for  market 
if  not  for  use.  Heads  show-  Express, 

ing  this  inclination  may  be  pushed  or  pulled  over  to  one 
side.  This  breaks  or  loosens  part  of  their  roots,  and  for  some 
reason  appears  to  counteract  the  undesirable  tendency.  I  still 
have  to  add  that  cabbages  should  not  be  grown  soon  after 
cabbages  on  the  same  land.  Club-root — a  disease  which  attacks 
the  root,  and  hinders  the  full  development  of  the  plants — is  the 
usual  penalty  of  a  violation  of  this  rule. 


164 — How  to  Make  the  Garden  Pay. 

METHODS  OF  WINTERING. — There  are  numerous  ways  in 
which  cabbages  can  be  kept  successfully  for  home  use,  or  the  often 
good  market  during  latter  part  of  winter  or  early  spring.  A 
general  rule  is  applicable  to  all  methods.  It  is  this,  to  pull  the 

crop  on  a  dry  day,  and 
pack  it  only  when  per- 
fectly dry.  Also  put  off 
the  final  covering,  or 
storing  in  buildings,  cel- 
lars, etc.,  as  long  in  the 
fall  as  can  be  safely  done. 
One  of  the  most  com- 
monly practised  methods 
is  to  wrap  the  outer 
leaves  of  each  plant 
firmly  around  the  head, 
and  stand  root  side  up 
closely  together,  either 
in  single  line  or  in  a 
close  double  row,  with 
Early  Wakefield.  Qr  without  another  layer 

on  top;   then  plow  a  furrow  from  each  side  to  the  ridge  of 

cabbages  thus  formed,  and  finish  covering  up  with  soil,  using 

shovel  or  spade,  leaving  only  the  extremities  of  the  roots  sticking 

out.      The  illustration  on  page   162  represents  a  cross  section 

of  each  of  the  three  arrangements.     Another  good  way  to  store 

cabbages  is  to  put  them  in  pits,  like  root  crops.     The  excavation 

is  made  6  or  8  inches  deep,  4  feet  wide,  and  as  long  as  needed 

to  make  room  for  the 

quantity    of    cabbages 

desired  to  store.    Here 

the  heads  are  packed  in 

a   conical    heap,   roots 

inward,    and     covered 

with  8  or  10  inches  of 

soil,  packed  firmly.     In 

case  we  should  want  to 

use  all  or  part  of  them 

during  the  winter,  it  will 

be  a  good  precaution  to 

cover  the  south  side  of 

pit  with  straw  or  other 

dry  litter  deep  enough 

to  keep  the  soil  from  freezing,  and  thus  secure  easy  access  to  the 

cabbages  whenever  wanted.     An  improvement  on  this  method 

was  recently  published  in  the  Rural  New   Yorker.     Boards  or 

slabs  are  placed  on  bottom  of  pit.     The  cabbages,  well  trimmed 


Etampes. 


Cultural  Directions. — 165 

and  dry,  are  packed  in,  as  was  illustrated  on  page  163.  Tri- 
angular frames  of  2  by  4  scantling  are  then  set  upright  into 
the  pit,  one  at  each  end  only  if  pit  is  less  than  8  or  9  feet  long, 
one  additional  in  the  centre  for  a  pit  of  from  9  to  15  feet  in 
length;  and  common 
fence  boards  are  nailed 
to  them,  thus  forming 
something  like  a  large 
three  -  cornered  crate 
around  the  cabbages. 
This  is  lightly  covered 
with  straw,  and  4  to  6 
inches  of  soil  upon 
that.  The  ends  need 
only  be  stuffed  with 
dry  straw,  which  will 
give  free  access  to  the 
contents  of  pit  at  any 
time.  I  know  of  no  simpler  or  better  method  than  this.  For 
wintering  a  few  dozen  heads  only,  a  barrel  may  be  sunk  into 
the  ground  to  the  brim,  rilled  with  trimmed  heads,  covered 
with  dry  forest  leaves,  chaff,  etc.,  and  a  simple  roof  to  exclude 


Midsummer. 

rain  and  snow.  The  cellar  under  the  dwelling  house  is,  for  sani- 
tary reasons,  hardly  a  place  for  storing  cabbages  ;  but  a  very  few 
after  removal  of  the  coarse  outside  leaves,  may  each  be  wrapped 
in  several  thicknesses  of  common  newspaper,  so  that  only  the 


i66 — How  to  Make  the  Garden  Pay. 

roots  are  showing  outside,  and  hung  up  in  a  convenient  place  in 
the  cellar.  Farmers  might  put  a  load  of  cabbages  in  some  corner 
of  the  barn,  on  the  floor,  hay-mow,  etc.,  and  keep  them  lightly 
covered  with  loose  straw,  and  thus  have  them  ready  for  use  at 
any  time  during  the  winter  that  they  may  desire  them.  The 
regular  root  cellar  is  also  a  good  storing  place  for  cabbages. 

VARIETIES. 

Of  these  we  have  an  endless  number,  and  among  them 
quite  a  good  many  that  are  very  good.  In  fact,  we  have  so 
much  choice  that  the  selection  often  puzzles  us.  Of  many 
varieties  again,  we  have  almost  as  many  strains  or  selections  as 
we  have  leading  seedsmen.  Often  the  difference  between  many 


of  these  strains  and  the  original  type  are  decidedly  "strained," 
and  too  nice  for  us  clumsy  observers  ;  again,  they  are. often  so 
strikingly  distinct  that  they  give  us  the  difference  between  very 
indifferent  and  quite  complete  success,  and  this,  I  repeat,  merely 
from  different  selections — strains — of  one  and  the  same  variety. 

A  serious  fault  of  many  of  the  cabbage  seeds  that  I  have 
bought  of  various  sources  during  recent  years,  is  their  somewhat 
<4  mixed "  condition.  We  often  get  too  many  sorts  in  one  and 
the  same  lot,  and  the  consequence  is  a  mixture  of  all  sorts.  The 
evil  seems  to  be  on  the  increase,  too.  In  justice  to  the  publisher 
of  my  work — Mr.  Maule — I  have  to  say  that  I  have  been  much 
pleased  with  both  the  high  quality,  and  the  purity  of  all  the 
cabbage  seeds  I  have  had  of  him.  I  cannot  agree  with  him  and 


Cultural  Directions. — 167 


other  leading  seedsmen,  however,  in  regard  to  the  wisdom  and 
propriety  of  their  nomenclature,  especially  their  methods  of 
multiplying  names  by  adding  their  own  for  the  sake  of  distin- 
guishing strains. 

EARLY  VARIETIES. 

Early  Wakefield.  In  this  we  have  yet  the  leading  early 
market  variety,  making  solid,  conical  heads,  with  few  loose  outer 
leaves.  For  both  home  and  market  garden  it  has  no  superior  as 
an  early  sort.  Seed  of  this  is  grown  quite  extensively  on  Long 
Island,  and  I  have 
always  had  excellent 
success  with  it 

Earliest  Etampes. 
Much  spoken  of  as  a 
good  market  variety, 
earlier  than  the  preced- 
ing, while  it  is  decidedly 
reliable.  I  have  never 
been  able  to  discover 


Flat  Dutch. 

more  than  a  slight  difference  in 
earliness  between  the  two  kinds  (in 
favor  of  the  Etampes),  nor  other 
points  of  merit  above  those  of  the 
best  strains  of  Wakefield. 

Early  Express.  Another  early 
variety  of  the  Wakefield  type,  intro- 
duced as  considerably  earlier  than 
that  variety,  and  profitable  for  early 
market.  Said  to  produce  heads  in 

70  to  75  days  from  time  of  sowing  seed. 

Early  York,  and  Early  French  Oxheart,  being  extremely 

early,  were  formerly  the  leading  sorts  for  market ;  but  since  their 

heads  are  little  more  than  loose  bunches  of  leaves,  they  have 

deservedly  lost  favor  with  the  growers. 

INTERMEDIATE   VARIETIES. 

Early  Winningstadt  should  be  planted  by  all  who  have 
usually  but  indifferent  success  with  other  varieties.  As  a  sure 
header,  even  under  adverse  circumstances,  it  has  no  peer  ;  and  in 
spite  of  its  earliness,  it  forms  large  cone-shaped  heads,  which  are 
of  good  quality.  It  is  emphatically  the  home  grower's  and  the 


Surehead. 


168 — How  to   Make  the  Garden  Pay. 

novice's  sort,  and  can  be  planted  for  early,  intermediate  and  late, 

by  planting  at  different  times,  sometimes  as  late  as  July,  even  at 

the  north. 

Early  Summer  comes  a  week  or  two  after  Wakefield,  is 

much  larger    with   round,  flat  heads,  of  excellent  quality,  and 

altogether  one  ol  the  best  am  most  reliable  second  early  market 

sorts,  and  desirable  in  the  home  garden  also. 

Midsummer. — Very  nearly  as  early  as  the  Early  Summer, 

and  at  the  same  time  producing  very  much  larger  heads,  which 

for  solidity   and    compactness    cannot    be    surpassed.     It  is  a 

remarkably  sure  header,  and  for  a  market  crop  is   one  of  the 

most  profitable  varieties. 

Fottler's    Improved,    or    Improved    Brunswick. — This 

large,  hard-heading  and   reliable  sort  can   be   grown  alike  for 

summer,  fall  or  win- 
ter use,  and  is  the 
earliest  of  the  large 
Drumheads. 

Early  Bleichfield 
Giant  also  makes 
large,  solid  heads, 
with  dark  green 
leaves,  and  is  reliable 
for  second  early. 

Early  Flat  Dutch 
is  a  good  early  sort 
of  the  Flat  Dutch 
class,  with  good- 
sized  heads,  and 
can  be  recommended 
especially  for  the 
south,  as  it  seems 

to  stand  heat  better  than  many  other  varieties. 

Blood- Red  Erfurt  makes  extremely  solid  heads  of  a  deep 

red  color.     Used  for  pickling.     May  be  planted  for  both  early 

and  late. 

LATE   VARIETIES. 

Prize  Flat  Dutch,  Large  Flat  Dutch,  Excelsior  Flat 
Dutch,  etc.,  is  a  thoroughly  reliable  short-stemmed  late  variety, 
forming  large  flat  heads.  Good  for  both  market  and  home  use, 
and  deservedly  popular. 

Surehead  is  introduced  as  an  improved  sort  of  the  Flat 
Dutch  type,  and  I  find  it  pretty  much  what  its  name  indicates. 
Can  be  planted  with  entire  confidence. 

Red  Dutch  is  the  best  late  pickling  sort,  with  round  and 
extremely  hard  heads,  and  dark  red  in  color. 


Cultural  Directions. — 169 

Mammoth  Red  Rock.  This  is  the  largest  and  hardest 
heading  red  cabbage  in  cultivation.  Successful  Long  Island 
market  gardeners  will  raise  no  other  kind  of  red  cabbage,  for 
they  consider  this  the  best  of  all.  The  heads  frequently  average 
1 2  pounds  each,  and  it  is  a  very  sure  cropper. 

Stone  Mason,  much  grown  in  New  England  States,  makes 
very  solid  heads,  and  is  quite  popular  at  the  north. 

Large  Late  American  Drumhead,  with  its  various  strains 
(Louisville  Drumhead,  Short-Stemmed  Drumhead,  etc.),  is  a  late 
sort  with  very  solid  heads  of  good  quality.  Decidedly  a  good 
variety,  both  for  market  and  home  use. 

Felderkraut. — A  German  variety,  especially  desirable  in 
making  krout;  heads  large,  hard  and  solid. 

Drumhead  Savoy. — Few  cabbages  have  given  us  as  much 
satisfaction  in  the  home  garden  as  the  Savoys.  In  quality  they 
are  far  ahead  of  the  common  varieties,  and  not  so  very  inferior 
even  to  the  cauliflowers.  The  Drumhead  Savoy,  in  addition/can 
be  depended  upon  to  yield  large,  solid  heads  under  fairly  favor- 
able conditions,  and  also  stands  high  as  a  winter  keeper.  It 
deserves  to  be  more  generally  planted. 

Marblehead  Mammoth  is  undoubtedly  the  largest  of  all 
our  cabbages,  and  makes  firm  heads  of  good  quality ;  but  need:] 
high  culture  and  the  entire  season  to  come  to  perfection.  It  n 
especially  recommended  for  warmer  latitudes. 

CARDOON. 

Cynara  Cardunculus.  German,  Spanische  Artischoke , 
French,  Car  don ;  Spanish,  Cardo.  Cardoon  is  one  of  the 
many  vegetables  quite  commonly  grown  on 
the  Continent  of  Europe,  especially  in 
France,  yet  almost  entirely  unknown  to 
American  cultivators.  Neither  is  there  any 
prospect  for  its  coming  in  general  use.  I 
confess  I  have  not  yet  seen  it  in  a  single 
American  kitchen  garden.  It  belongs  to 
the  same  species  as  the  Artichoke.  Its  leaf- 
stalks, blanched  like  celery,  are  used  for 
salads,  in  soups,  etc.  Sow  seed  in  early 
spring,  in  very  rich,  and  moist  soil,  having 
rows  3  feet  apart ;  then  thin  the  plants  to 
I  y2  or  2  feet  apart  in  the  rows.  Give  good 
cultivation,  and  in  autumn  tie  up  the  leaves  Cardoon. 

with  matting  or  bands  of  straw  or  hay, 
covering  them  up  entirely  almost  to  the  tips  of  leaves,  then  earth 
up  like  celery.  In  four  or  five  weeks  the  hearts  will  be  blanched 
enough  for  use.  Take  up  before  frost  and  store  like  celery. 


170— How  to  Make  the  Garden  Pay, 


CARAWAY. 

Carum  Carui.  German,  Kummel ;  French,  Carvi  Cumin; 
Spanish,  Carvi.  A  common  European  biennial  meadow  weed. 
Seeds  used  in  flavoring  bread,  cheese,  pastry  and  sauces.  Seed 
may  be  sown  in  spring  or  fall,  in  drills.  Little  or  no  culti- 
vation is  required  except  to  thin,  and  keep  reasonably  free  from 
weeds. 


CARROTS. 

Daucus  Car ota.  German,  Mohre,  Mohrrube ;  French, 
Carotte ;  Spanish,  Zanahoria.  I  have  already  referred  to  the 
carrot  as  a  vegetable  grown  in  cold  frames,  etc.,  for  early 


market.  See  Chapter  on  "  Cold  Frames." 
As  a  market  vegetable,  carrots  are  tied 
up  in  bunches,  in  same  fashion  as  early  Danvers. 

beets,  bunch  onions,  etc.,  and  generally  prove  profitable.  When 
grown  as  an  early  outdoor  crop  for  market  or  family  use,  seed 
is  sown  as  soon  in  spring  as  the  ground  is  in  proper  working 
order,  in  rows  12  to  15  inches  apart,  and  the  plants  thinned  to 
2  or  3  inches  apart  in  the  rows.  The  ground  need  not  be  as 
heavily  manured  as  required  for  most  other  garden  crops ;  but 
early  attention  must  be  given,  for  the  plants  have  a  small  begin- 
ning, and  start  somewhat  feebly,  and  if  neglected  are  liable  to 
get  crowded  out  by  weeds  or  lost  among  them.  Keep  the 
wheel-hoe  going  from  the  very  first,  and  pull  up  every  weed. 

Except  in  the  limited  way  of  bunch  carrots,  the  vegetable  is 
more  of  a  farm  than  a  garden  crop.  Carrots,  although  good 
culinary  material  in  the  hands  of  skilled  cooks,  are  not  used  so 


Cultural  Directions. — 171 

extensively  for  a  kitchen  vegetable  here  as  they  are  in  Europe ; 
but  we  are  learning  to  appreciate  them  more  and  more  as  a  root 
crop  for  stock,  especially  for  horses  and  milch  cows.  In  many 
places,  especially  near  larger  cities,  carrots  for  stock  feeding  arc 
one  of  the  best  paying  farm  garden  crops,  being  in  ready  demand 
at  $1.00  to  $1.50  per  barrel;  and  since  300  barrels  and  upwards 
can  be  produced  per  acre  with  good  culture,  the  reader  may  draw 
his  own  conclusions  concerning  the  profits. 

The  crop  can  be  grown  as  a  second  one  after  spinach, 
radishes,  early  beets,  and  even  strawberries,  early  cabbages,  etc., 
without  further  manuring.  One  of  the  best  selections  of  soil 


CHAN 


on  the  farm  is  a  piece  of  good,  strong,  well-drained,  clean  clover 
sod,  manured  with  twenty-five  or  thirty  tons  of  compost  or  1000  to 
1500  pounds  of  fertilizer,  or  a  ton  or  two  of  wood  ashes  per 
acre.  The  cultivation  which  carrots  require  will  also  fit  such 
land  admirably  for  a  succeeding  crop  of  onions,  or  vegetables 
of  that  class.  The  ground  should  be  deeply  worked  and 
thoroughly  prepared.  For  home  feeding  I  prefer  the  White 
Belgian.  For  market  sale  the  Long  and  Half  Long  Orange 
sorts  must  be  grown.  Mix  a  few  radish  seeds  with  the  carrot 
seed,  and  sow  in  drills  18  to  24  inches  apart,  using  about  six 
pounds  of  seed  per  acre.  The  radishes  come  up  quickly, 


172 — How  to  Make  the  Garden  Pay. 

and  the  wheel-hoe  or  cultivator  should  at  once  be  brought  in 
use.  When  the  radishes  are  of  fair  eating  size,  they  have 
fulfilled  their  mission,  and  may  be  used,  or  thrown  away. 
Again  let  me  emphasize  the  necessity  of  timely  weeding  and 
early  thinning.  Weeding  on  weedy  soil  will  require  a  great  deal 
of  labor ;  hence  weedy  soil  and  weedy  manure  should  be  care- 
fully avoided.  The  large  late  varieties  need  three,  and  on  rich 
soil  perhaps  even  four  inches  space  in  the  row  to  each  plant. 
After  once  having  taken  a  good  start  they  grow  fast,  and  do 
not  need  so  very  much  attention.  Gather  the  crop  before 
severe  freezing.  This  is  best  done  by  running  a  one-horse  plow 
close  to  each  row  on  one  side,  thus  almost  laying  the  roots 
bare  on  that  side,  and  then  prying  them  out  with  a  spade,  or 
simply  pulling  them  up  by  hand.  Top,  and  store  in  same  way 
as  described  for  mangel  wurzels.  The  roots  should  be  perfectly 
dry  when  put  away,  or  when  packed  for  sale. 

VARIETIES. 

Early  Scarlet  Horn. — This  is  most  generally  used  for 
forcing  for  early  market.  Deep  orange  with  small  tops,  and  of 
good  quality.  Adapted  for  shallow  soils. 

Oxheart. — An  intermediate  between  the  Early  Horn  and 
Half  Long  varieties.  In  quality  it  is  extra  good,  and  will  prove 

profitable  in  both  the 
home  and  market 
garden.  Where  other 
sorts  require  dig- 
ging, Oxheart  can 
be  pulled. 

Early  Half  Long 
Scarlet. — A  stump- 
rooted  sort,  well 
adapted  for  shallow 
soils,  and  good  for 
table  use. 

New  Chantenay 
is  an  improvement  on 
the  Half- Long  Scar- 
let, of  same  general 
characteristics,  and 
rich  orange  color. 
Danvers. — A  Half  Long  variety  of  large  size,  is  deservedly 
popular  for  general  uses — a  sort  of  all-purpose  carrot.  I  have 
grown  it  for  years  and  still  consider  it  one  of  the  best.  It  gives 
greatest  bulk  with  smallest  length  of  root  of  any  of  the  orange 
sorts.  Roots  handsome,  smooth,  easily  gathered,  and  of  rich 
dark  orange  color. 


Cultural  Directions. — 173 

Long  Orange,  Improved  Long  Orange,  is  another  good 
sort  for  general  purposes,  and  especially  adapted  to  deep  soils. 
Very  productive;  roots  smooth  and 
handsome. 

Saint  Vallery. — Very  straight  roots, 
broad  at  the  top.  Of  superior  quality  for 
table  use.  Of  deep  orange  color. 

White  Belgian. — In  this  we  have  a 
somewhat  coarse,  but  excellent  variety  for 
stock,  attaining  largest  size,  and  for  this 
reason  the  most  productive  of  all  sorts. 
Grows  partly  above  ground  and  can  be 
gathered  by  hand. 

Yellow  Belgian,  another  fine  variety 
for  stock,  resembles  the  White  Belgian, 
but  is  perhaps  richer,  and  less  productive. 

White  Vosges  is  introduced  as  an 
enormously  productive  field  carrot, 
adapted  for  shallow  soils.  Can  be  pulled 
up  without  the  use  of  tools.  Not  recommended  for  the  table. 

CATNIP. 

Nepeta  cataria.  German,  Katzminze ;  French,  Menthe  de 
Chat.  This  perennial  weed  is  quite  common  here,  and  more 
generally  considered  a  nuisance  than  fit  for  cultivation.  The 
leaves  and  young  shoots  are  sometimes  used  for  seasoning,  and 
the  plant  has  valuable  medical  properties.  It  is  also  appre- 
ciated as  a  honey-bearing  plant,  and  cultivated  on  that  account. 
It  grows  easily  from  seed  sown  in  drills  1 8  or  20  inches  apart,  in 
almost  any  soil,  and  will  need  little  or  no  attention. 

CAULIFLOWER. 

Brassica  Oleracea  (Botrytis).  German,  Blumenkohl ;  French, 
Chou-fleur ;  Spanish,  Coliflor.  High  culture,  deep,  rich,  moist 
soil  plentifully  provided  with  humus,  and  cool  atmosphere,  are 
the  chief  requisites  for  best  success  with  this  crop.  Nice  heads 
cannot  be  grown  in  hot,  dry  weather  and  soil ;  hence  gardeners 
always  aim  to  have  the  plants  head  up  either  in  early  summer 
or  in  late  autumn.  For  early  crop  the  plants  are  wintered  over 
in  cold  frames,  or  grown  in  greenhouses  or  hot-beds  during  the 
winter,  in  the  same  way  as  already  described  for  early  cabbages ; 
but  being  less  hardy,  they  need  more  protection,  by  mats, 
shutters,  etc. 

Good  cauliflowers  always  find  ready  sale  at  paying  prices, 
$15.00  to  $25.00  per  one  hundred  not  being  an  unusual  figure; 
and  for  this  reason  it  would  be  very  unwise  to  attempt  econo- 


174 — How  to  Make  the  Garden  Pay. 

mizing  in  the  manure  account.  Fifty  tons  or  more  of  good 
stable  compost  per  acre,  besides  liberal  dressings  of  fertilizers, 
wood  ashes,  nitrate  of  soda,  etc.,  are  no  more  than  can  be  applied 
with  profit.  Plow  deeply  and  pulverize  the  ground  thoroughly. 
In  early  spring,  as  soon  as  the  ground  is  ready  (March  or  April, 
earlier  at  the  south)  the  plants  are  set  30  by  1 5  or  1 8  inches  apart, 
and  cultivated  and  hoed  frequently.  This  is  the  crop  of  all  crops 
with  which  irrigation,  by  any  of  the  natural  methods,  if  it  can  be 
adopted  without  unreasonable  expense,  will  pay.  A  plentiful 
supply  of  moisture,  either  by  such  means,  or  in  consequence  of 
frequent  rains  during  the  time  of  heading,  insures  a  good  crop. 

When  the  heads 
begin  to  form,  be 
sure  to  clear  out 
the  worms  that  may 
be  on  the  plants,  by 
the  prompt  use  of 
buhach,  tar  water, 
or  thymo-cresol, 
and  then  gather 
up  some  of  the 
large  leaves  over 
the  head,  and  tie 
loosely  to  exclude 
the  direct  sun  rays. 
__  This  treatment 

Prize  Earliest.  k,eePS     th,f.     headj 

clean,    white    and 

delicate.  For  late  crop,  seed  is  sown  in  May  or  June,  the  plants 
set  out  at  same  time  as  late  cabbages,  3  by  2  or  3  feet  apart, 
according  to  variety.  Same  general  treatment  as  for  cabbages  is 
required,  but  soil  should  be  richer. 

VARIETIES. 

Until  now  seed  of  all  sorts  had  to  be  imported  from  abroad, 
very  little  being  grown  near  the  Atlantic  coast.  An  effort  is 
now  being  made  to  grow  it  on  the  Pacific  coast,  and  it  seems  with 
entire  success.  The  American- grown  seed  is  remarkably  large 
and  plump,  and  gives  strong  plants.  The  heads  I  had  from  such 
seed  were  not  inferior  to  any  from  foreign  seed.  I  have  no  doubt 
that  American  seedsmen  will  soon  offer  only  the  home-grown, 
especially  since  this  promises  to  be  the  cheaper  of  the  two.  The 
best  foreign  seed  has  always  been  excessively  high-priced. 

Early  Snowball,  now  recognized  as  the  leading  sort  for 
early  use,  probably  is  good  for  late  also.  A  very  reliable 
header. 


Cultural  Directions. — 175 

Prize  Earliest  has  recently  been  introduced  as  earlier  even 
than  Snowball  or  Early  Erfurt ;  desirable  alike  for  forcing  and 
open-air  culture. 

Earliest  Dwarf  Erfurt. — One  of  the  old  stand-bys,  and  a 
sure  header. 

(Extra)  Early  Paris. — Popular  for  forcing. 

Autumn  Giant,  Veitch's  Autumn  Giant. — A  large,  late, 
vigorous  growing  sort,  with  large  firm  heads,  well  covered  by  the 
inner  leaves. 

CELERY. 

Apium  Graveolens.  German,  Sellerie ;  French,  Celeri ; 
Spanish,  Apio. — Celery  fits  so  admirably  into  the  crop  rotation 
of  market  as  well  as  home  gardens,  that  it  has  become  indispens- 
able in  both.  It  affords  an  opportunity,  after  early  crops  are 
taken  off,  to  make  profitable  use  of  the  ground  from  mid- 
season  until  winter,  and  brings  money  to  the  market  grower,  and 
a  daily  relish  of  unsurpassed  deliciousness  for  fall  and  winter  to 
the  home  gardener.  The  newer  methods  and  newer  varieties  have 
now  greatly  simplified  its  culture,  and  rendered  quite  easy  what 
formerly  was  an  awkward  and  laborious  task. 

GROWING  THE  PLANTS. — A  supply  of  good  plants  is  the  very 
foundation — an  indispensable  requisite  of  success.  It  is  true, 
plants  are  freely  advertised  for  sale  by  good  growers  at  very 
reasonable  rates ;  but  my  experience  with  such  plants,  after  they 
have  been  packed  for  shipment,  and  gone  through  the  hands  of 
express  companies,  is  far  from  satisfactory.  I  find  that  they  come 
pretty  high  in  the  end,  and  often  they  cost  more  than  the  crop 
is  worth  after  it  is  grown.  The  average  quality  of  celery  plants 
sold  by  growers,  in  my  estimation,  is  rather  poor.  I  grow 
annually  a  few  thousand  plants  above  what  I  need  for  my  own 
use,  and  usually  sell  the  surplus.  After  the  best  plants  are  picked 
out  for  planting,  I  consider  those  I  sell  of  no  more  than  fairly 
passable  quality ;  yet  the  buyers  hardly  ever  failed  to  compli- 
ment me  upon  the  fine  plants  that  I  furnished  them.  This  shows 
that  they  are  not  accustomed  to  buy  really  first-class  plants,  and 
for  this  reason  I  am  sure  that  the  wisest,  in  fact  the  only  safe, 
course  for  celery  growers  is  to  raise  their  own  plants.  If  my 
instructions  are  followed  to  the  letter,  it  is  a  comparatively  easy 
thing  to  do. 

In  early  spring  prepare  a  rich,  but  clean,  moist,  and  some- 
what protected  patch  of  ground.  Put  on  plenty  of  fine  compost, 
which  should  be  free  from  weed  seeds  ;  and  fork,  spade  or  plow 
it  into  the  soil.  A  top-dressing  of  composted  poultry  manure 
(wood-ashes,  fertilizer,  or  whatever  is  on  hand  and  thought  of 
benefit  to  the  land)  may  then  be  applied  and  mixed  with  the 


176 — How  to  Make  the  Garden  Pay. 

surface  soil,  using  harrow  or  steel  rake.  In  short  make  an 
extremely  rich  and  perfectly  mellow  seed-bed.  Now  mark  out 
shallow  drills  one  foot  apart,  and  in  these  sow  the  seed,  at  the 
rate  of  one  ounce  to  about  200  feet  of  row,  firming  it  afterwards 
thoroughly  with  the  feet.  Next  smooth  the  surface  by  drawing 
the  back  of  rake  lengthwise  over  each  row,  or,  holding  the  rake 
perpendicularly,  handle  upwards,  pat  the  ground  by  pressing  or 
striking  the  teeth  flat  and  firmly  upon  the  row.  Rolling,  although 
not  strictly  necessary,  is,  however,  a  good  precaution.  A  small 
patch  may  be  kept  supplied  with  moisture  by  occasional  water- 
ing, by  covering  with  a  slatted  screen,  providing  half-shade,  or 
by  spreading  a  piece  of  cloth  directly  upon  the  soil  until  the 
seeds  have  germinated.  Water,  when  required,  may  in  the  latter 
case  be  given  upon  the  cloth,  and  soaking  through  it  will  provide 
the  soil  with  moisture.  The  cloth  must  be  removed  as  soon  as 
the  plants  begin  to  show  themselves  above  ground. 

My  own  practice  differs  from  this  in  so  far  as  I  grow  the 
plants  in  my  regular  vegetable  patch.  The  ground  is  prepared 
in  the  usual  way  and  as  required  for  sowing  onions,  radishes, 
lettuce,  and  similar  crops ;  marked  out  with  the  common  garden 
marker  and  in  same  distance  as  for  the  other  crops.  I  walk  upon 
the  rows  to  firm  the  seed,  and  otherwise  treat  as  above  described ; 
but  without  shading  and  rarely  watering.  The  wheel-hoe  is 
promptly  and  persistently  brought  into  use,  and  the  ground  kept 
loose  and  free  from  weeds  from  the  very  start.  Early  thinning 
is  of  the  utmost  importance,  and  I  refer  the  reader  to  what  is 
said  on  this  subject  in  the  chapter  on  "  Transplanting  and 
Thinning."  Give  the  plants  room  enough  if  you  want  them  to 
grow  large,  stocky,  and  to  make  strong  roots.  Narrow  the  row 
down  with  the  blades  of  the  wheel-hoe,  or  slash  into  them  with 
a  hand  weeder,  until  not  more  than  40  or  50  plants  are  left 
standing  to  the  running  foot.  An  occasional  light  top-dressing 
of  nitrate  of  soda  (in  its  absence  perhaps  of  saltpetre,  preferably 
in  solution)  will  do  wonders  in  giving  you  rapid  growth  of  the  plants. 
Once  or  twice  the  tops  may  be  cut  back  with  a  sharp  sickle 
or  knife,  to  induce  still  increased  stockiness,  and  by  the  time  the 
plants  are  wanted  for  setting  out,  you  will  have  a  stock  that  for 
its  excellence  must  astonish  people  accustomed  only  to  see  and 
handle  the  average  plants  of  the  professional  plant  grower.  I 
have  not  yet  seen  a  place  so  far  back  that  a  few  thousand  good 
celery  plants  could  not  find  ready  sale  amongst  neighbors  and 
towns-people  at  50  cents  per  100,  or  $4  per  1,000.  I  can  grow 
them  profitably  even  at  a  lower  figure. 

Southern  people  who  need  their  plants  so  much  later, 
namely,  in  September  or  October,  generally  depend  on  northern- 
grown  plants.  To  supply  this  demand  the  seed  should  be 
sown  toward  the  end  of  May.  A  somewhat  shady,  moist  piece 


Cultural  Directions. — 177 

of  land  will  be  best,  and  shading  may  be  required  in  most  cases. 
But  it  seems  to  me  that  southern  people,  if  they  take  these  same 
precautions  in  the  selection  and  treatment  of  a  patch,  could  grow 
their  own  supply  of  plants  without  much  difficulty. 

In  the  foregoing  I  have  given  you  one  of  the  "  secrets  "  in 
horticulture  that  are  of  money  value  to  those  who  make  a 
proper  use  of  it.  The  knowledge  of  "  how  to  grow  celery 
plants  "  brings  me  at  least  a  little  money  every  season. 

PLANTING. — Now  we  have  the  plants,  and  good  ones,  too. 
The  next  thing  is  to  set  them  so  they  will  make  a  good  crop. 
The  soil  selected  is  usually  such  as  is  cleared  from  an  early  crop, 
or,  in  the  home  garden,  any  available  spot  in  composition  between 
sand  and  clay.  If  the  first  crop,  as  is  very  likely  the  case,  was 
well  supplied  with  feed  in  the  shape  of  compost,  there  will  be 
enough  left  of  it  to  carry  the  celery  crop  through  all  right.  In 
practice,  I  prefer  to  apply  additional  manures  or  fertilizers  even 
then,  and  I  do  this  in  various  ways,  according  to  the  particular 
circumstances  of  the  case.  To  plant  a  patch,  even  if  not  larger 
than  for  a  few  hundred  plants,  furrows  are  opened  with  a  one- 
horse  plow,  going  twice  in  same  furrow  to  get  the  desired  depth. 
These  furrows  are  made  three  feet  apart  for  the  self-bleaching 
sorts,  and  somewhat  more  (from  4  to  5  feet)  for  the  common 
sorts  that  have  to  be  bleached  by  "  banking  "  or  earthing-up. 
They  are  partly  filled  with  fine,  thoroughly-rotted  compost — ' 
preferably  of  cow  manure — ,  fine  barn-yard  scrapings,  etc.,  and 
some  soil  mixed  all  through  it.  More  soil  is  then  filled  in,  and 
the  rows  made  nearly  level  with  the  surface. 

If  only  a  single  row  of  celery,  and  a  short  one  at  that,  is  to 
be  planted,  as  sometimes  happens  when  a  small  strip  of  the  vege- 
table garden  becomes  available,  I  merely  apply  the  compost 
along  the  row  to  the  width  of  about  a  foot,  and  fork  or  spade 
this  nicely  in.  A  little  fertilizer  or  wood-ashes  is  scattered  on 
top,  and  the  soil  raked  smooth  and  even.  After  the  ground  has 
been  prepared  by  either  method,  the  garden  line  is  tightly 
stretched  along  the  row,  and  the  plants  set  six  inches  apart. 

At  the  north  our  usual  time  of  setting  celery  plants  is  early 
in  July,  and  for  winter  use  up  to  August.  Gardeners  in  the 
middle  and  southern  states  plant  correspondingly  later.  The 
plants  should  be  lifted  from  the  seed  row  when  the  ground  is  wet, 
or  at  least  moist.  In  a  dry  spell  I  always  give  the  plant  rows  a 
thorough  soaking  an  hour  or  two  previous  to  pulling  plants.  The 
ground  where  plants  are  to  be  set  should  also  be  moist.  Let  me 
again  call  attention  to  the  general  rule  (which  especially  is  not 
to  be  disregarded  during  a  dry  time) :  Always  sow  and  plant  in 
freshly-stirred  soil ;  then  firm  thoroughly.  The  plants  after  being 
pulled  are  properly  trimmed  or  clipped  at  both  ends,  the  roots 
dipped  in  water  and  planted  with  a  dibber,  which  is  also  used  to 


178 — How  to  Make  the  Garden  Pay. 

press  the  soil  firmly  against  the  roots,  so  that  a  leaf  would  tear 
off  quicker  than  allow  the  plant  to  be  pulled  up  by  it  To  apply 
a  half  pint  of  water  to  each  plant  after  setting  is  a  good 
precaution. 

AFTER-CULTURE. — The  ground  must  be  kept  clean  and 
mellow,  and  the  plants  in  growing  condition  by  the  frequent  use 
of  wheel-hoe,  horse-hoe,  steel-rake,  and  hoe.  Next  comes  what 
is  called  "  handling."  When  the  plants  have  made  a  good 
growth,  and  the  nights  begin  to  get  cool,  late  in  August,  the 
ground  near  the  plants  receives  a  thorough  loosening,  either  by 
plowing  a  shallow  furrow  towards  the  row  from  each  side,  or  by 
drawing  soil  up  to  it  with  the  hoe.  The  gardener  now  gets 
down  on  his  knees,  straddling  the  row,  and  gathering  up  all  the 
stalks  of  one  plant  after  another  in  his  left  hand,  packs  the  soil 
firmly  around  with  his  right,  to  retain  them  in  this  compact 
and  erect  position.  More  soil  is  then  drawn  up,  or  hoed  up,  to 
them. 


»        Celery  after  Earthing-up. 

BLANCHING. — No  further  treatment  is  necessary  for  the  self- 
blanching  sorts  to  blanch  them  for  market ;  yet  we  can  greatly 
improve  their  flavor  by  earthing  them  up  like  the  common 
varieties.  Various  methods  are  employed  to  blanch  the  crop. 
The  one,  though  old,  but  yet  commonly  used,  is  by  earthing 
up  or  "  banking."  This  had  best  be  done  gradually,  in  two  or 
three  operations.  Soil  is  dug  up  from  between  the  rows,  and 
banked  up  against  the  plants  from  each  side,  at  the  last 
operation  almost  to  the  tips  of  the  leaves,  as  shown  in  above 
illustration. 

Blanching  by  means  of  boards  is  coming  more  and  more 
into  favor  with  market  gardeners,  and  well  deserves  recommenda- 
tion. The  plants  are  first  "  handled  "  in  the  usual  way,  and 
boards  10  inches  wide  are  then  set  on  edge  against  the  rows 
from  each  side,  as  illustrated  on  next  page,  and  held  in  that 
position  by  tying  a  string  around  each  set  of  two  at  each  end,  by 
pegs  driven  into  the  ground,  by  clamps,  or  in  any  other  con- 
venient way. 


Cultural  Directions. — 179 

Common  drain  tile,  4  or  5  inches  in  the  clear,  are  some- 
times used  and  recommended  for  bleaching  celery;  but  this 
method  does  not  always  give  satisfaction.  I  have  thought  to 
improve  on  it,  and  had  some  "  bleachers  "  made,  5  or  6  inches 
high,  with  5  inches  inside  diameter,  in  shape  like  bottomless 
flower-pots.  These  are  placed  over  the  plants,  one  only  for  each 
plant  of  the  self-blanching  kinds,  and  two,  or  even  three — one 
above  the  other — for  each  plant  of  the  common  sorts.  This 


Blanching  by  Boards. 

method  in  its  different  phases  is  illustrated  on  next  page. 
I  have  had  good  success  with  it,  and  grown  some  fine  blanched 
celery ;  but  it  seems  to  me  that  the  expense  connected  with  the 
purchase  and  breakage  of  the  pots,  and  the  labor  required  for 
storing  and  taking  to  and  off  the  field,  must  prevent  the  more 
extensive  or  general  use  of  this  method. 

Early  in  the  season,  and  while  the  plants  are  yet  growing 
rapidly,  celery  bleaches  beautifully  in  from  2  to  3  weeks  after 
banking  or  boarding  up,  and  is  then  in  first-class  condition  for 
use  or  market.  Later  it  will  take  4  or  5  weeks,  perhaps  even 
more,  to  bring  the  plants  out  in  marketable  shape. 

PREPARING  FOR  MARKET. — When  the  crop  is  ready  for 
market,  draw  the  soil  away  from  the  plants  desired,  take  hold  of 
the  top  with  one  hand  and  pull,  at  same  time  prying  under  the 
root  with  a  spade.  Thus  one  plant  after  another  is  easily  lifted 
out  without  breaking  a  stalk.  Shake  the  soil  off  the  roots,  and 
take  the  plants  to  the  vegetable  house,  to  be  properly  prepared 
for  sale.  Trim  the  main  root  smoothly  with  three  or  four 
sloping  cuts ;  remove  the  coarse  outer  leaves,  and  on  one  side 
open  the  stalks  sufficiently  to  expose  the  heart  in  its  tempting 
whiteness.  From  three  to  five,  or  even  six  of  such  plants, 
according  to  size,  are  then  tied  in  a  neat  flat  bunch,  the  exposed 
hearts  all  showing  on  one  of  the  flat  sides.  The  price  depends 
very  much  on  the  tempting  appearance  of  the  bunches,  on  neat 
trimming  and  skillful  tying.  Such  a  bunch,  properly  put  up  is 
shown  on  page  181.  Of  course  the  plants  when  dug  should  be 


i8o — How  to  Make  the  Garden  Pay. 

guarded  from  freezing;  and  in  cold  weather  the  boxes  in  which 
the  crop  is  taken  to  market,  must  be  provided  or  lined  with 
matting,  coarse  cloth,  etc. 

When  speaking  of  cold  frame  management,  I  have  already 
alluded  to  celery  as  a  crop  grown  for  early  marketing  as  "  soup 
celery,"  in  same  way  as  parsley  is  handled.  During  fall  and 
winter,  the  better  outer  leaves  of  the  regular  crop,  and  the  plants 
too  small  for  market  otherwise,  are  bunched  and  sold  for  soup 
celery  in  the  same  manner.  The  thinnings  from  the  seed-bed, 
as  well  as  tops  shorn  off  to  induce  stockiness,  are  often  similarly 
utilized  during  summer. 

STORING  FOR  MARKET. — Celery  intended  for  winter  use  or 
winter  market  only  requires  handling,  but  no  earthing  up,  since 
it  blanches  perfectly,  and  with  no  extra  labor,  in  winter  store. 
Necessary  precautions  that  must  be  observed  are  to  lift  the  plant 


Celery  Bleachers. 

on  dry  days  only,  and  never  touch  a  frozen  plant.  If  these  rules 
are  violated,  speedy  decay  will  usually  follow.  The  method  of 
winter  storage  in  general  use  in  the  market  gardens  of  New 
Jersey  and  vicinity  is  as  follows : 

On  a  well-drained  spot  a  trench  is  dug  as  narrow  as  possible, 
and  deep  enough  that  the  tops  of  the  plants  standing  in  it  will  just 
about  reach  to  the  level  of  the  surface.  The  crop  is  then  taken  up, 
the  soil  shaken  off,  and  the  plants  placed  perpendicularly,  and 
as  closely  crowded  together  as  possible  in  the  bottom  of  the 
trench.  Here  they  are  left  until  there  is  danger  of  severe  freez- 
ing. Light  frosts  will  do  no  hurt.  The  plants  thus  trenched  in 
early  (middle  or  end  of  October)  may  be  used  directly  from  the 
trenches,  as  wanted,  during  December.  Except  at  the  extreme 
north,  no  covering  will  be  needed  for  them  until  this  time.  Roots 
trenched  in  during  November,  which  will  not  be  ready  for  use 


Cultural  Directions. — 181 


before  January,  need  protection.  During  forepart  of  December 
boards  a  foot  wide  are  laid  in  single  line  directly  upon  the  trench, 
resting  with  an  inch  or  two  on  the  sides,  and  in  the  centre  per- 
haps directly  upon  the  foliage.  When  a  cold  night  is  expected 
a  few  inches  of  soil  are  drawn  or  shovelled  upon  the  boards  and 
allowed  to  freeze.  Afterwards  (early  in  the  morning)  litter  of 
some  sort  is  put  over  this  crust  to  keep  the,  frost  in  ;  and  this 
covering,  during  severe  weather,  must  be  increased  to  perhaps  a 
foot  in  thickness. 

Celery  kept  in  such  trenches  generally  comes  out  beautifully 
bleached,  crisp  and  tender.  The  chief  point  is  thorough  drainage^ 
for  if  water  is  allowed 
to  stand  in  the  trench, 
celery  is  sure  to  rot. 
The  trench  method  is 
probably  the  best,  sim- 
plest and  safest  for  a 
mild  climate  like  that 
of  New  Jersey  ;  but  in 
colder  localities  I  would 
give  a  genuine  root 
cellar  the  preference. 
This  gives  us  easy 
access  to  the  crop  at 
any  time  when  wanted, 
and  when  it  would  not 
be  safe  to  open  a  trench 
or  expose  the  plants 
even  for  the  shortest 
period  outdoors.  A 
dug-out  in  a  hill-side, 
covered  over  with  a 
substantial  roofing  of 
rails,  poles,  litter  and  a 
foot  of  soil,  will  answer 
quite  well.  Celery 
houses  similarly  con- 
structed on  the  level  are  used  quite  extensively  by  the  large 
growers  near  Rochester,  N.  Y.,  and  elsewhere. 

Mr.  Theo.  F.  Baker,  of  South  Jersey  makes  use  of  a  struc- 
ture of  this  kind,  and  says  it  proves  a  great  convenience,  keeping 
the  celery  in  perfect  condition  almost  any  length  of  time,  and 
saving  him  a  large  amount  of  labor.  The  stock  can  be  inspected 
at  any  time,  taken  out  in  cold  and  rainy  weather,  or  at  night,  at 
pleasure,  cleaned,  washed  and  packed  all  under  the  same  roof. 
Celery  once  handled  can  there  be  bleached  in  three  weeks,  and 
be  free  from  rust  or  earthy  flavor. 


Bunch  of  Celery  ready  for  Market. 


182 — How  to  Make  the  Garden  Pay. 

The  cellar  is  40  feet  long,  16  feet  wide,  and  3  feet  deep. 
The  walls>  which  are  18  inches  thick,  rise  I  foot  above  ground. 
The  rafters  reach  clear  to  the  ground,  where  they  rest  on  plates 
placed  there  to  keep  the  roof  from  spreading.  The  ends  are 
weather-boarded  on  both  sides  of  six-inch  studs,  and  filled  in 
with  sawdust.  The  roof  is  also  double  with  a  sawdust  filling.  A 
number  of  partitions  well-lined  with  paper,  and  forming  two  or 
three,  perhaps  even  four  dead-air  spaces  of  two  inches  each  in 
width,  would  probably  be  still  more  effective  and  convenient. 
The  height  of  the  house  inside  is  4  feet  at  the  eaves,  and  n  at 
the  peak.  A  ventilator  at  the  peak  admits  air  when  needed,  and 
gives  a  chance  for  the  escape  of  heat  that  may  be  generated 
by  the  mass  of  celery.  A  door  at  each  end,  a  small  window 
over  each  to  admit  light,  and  steps  to  get  down,  complete  the 
house. 

"  In  storing  the  celery,"  writes  Mr.  Baker,  "  posts  are  set  in 
the  ground  about  16  inches  apart,  beginning  at  each  side  on  one 
end  of  the  house,  and  coming  toward  the  centre,  giving  seven 
posts  or  alleys  to  a  side,  and  leaving  a  passage-way  two  feet  wide 
the  entire  length  of  the  building.  Three  sets  of  posts  on  one 
side  of  the  passage-way,  and  four  on  the  other  will  suit  16  feet 
boards,  two  and  a  half  lengths  on  one  side,  and  two  lengths  on  the 
other.  This  leaves  a  space  8  feet  square  for  washing  tank,  and 
room  to  prepare  the  stuff  for  market/' 

"  Beginning  next  to  the  wall,  we  nail  a  board  a  foot  wide  to 
the  post,  so  that  the  top  of  the  celery  will  be  even  with  the  top 
of  the  board,  leaving  a  space  of  four  to  six  inches  between  the 
bottom  of  the  board  and  the  ground,  through  which  one  hand 
can  be  thrust  to  pack  the  roots  firmly  while  the  other  holds  the 
tops  of  the  celery  over  the  board.  Some  loose  rich  soil  is  thrown 
over  the  roots  after  the  box  or  trench  is  filled  from  end  to  end. 
With  a  hose  from  the  hydrant  the  soil  is  given  a  thorough 
wetting,  and  settled  around  the  roots,  causing  them  to  throw  out 
new  fibres  in  a  few  days,  when  a  new  growth  of  the  heart 
commences.  Considerable  heat  will  at  first  be  generated  by  the 
mass  of  celery  thus  stored,  and  proper  ventilation  must  be  given, 
else  rot  will  surely  follow.  After  the  one  heating  we  have  no 
further  trouble  from  this  cause." 

STORING  FOR  HOME  USE. — A  few  hundred  plants  may  be 
stored  in  a  common  cellar,  standing  them  upright  on  a  couple  of 
inches  of  moist  soil  or  sand  upon  the  floor,  and  dividing  them  in 
narrow  sections  between  upright  boards,  in  a  similar  way  as 
described  for  celery-house  storage.  Instead  of  placing  directly 
upon  the  cellar  bottom,  we  can  make  use  of  narrow  boxes  (shoe 
boxes,  for  instance)  putting  in  a  little  moist  soil  or  sand,  and 
standing  the  plants  upon  this.  An  improvement  on  this  plan  is, 
to  bore  inch  holes  at  the  ends  and  sides  of  the  box,  four  inches 


Cultural  Directions. — 183 

from  the  bottom,  and  in  packing  the  plants  cover  their  roots  with 
sand  or  soil.  Keep  this  moist  by  watering  occasionally  through 
the  holes  near  the  bottom. 

Unquestionably  the  simplest,  and  I  find  quite  a  safe  method 
of  storing  a  supply  for  home  use  is  by  packing  the  plants, already 
trimmed,  almost  as  closely  as  for  market,  in  boxes  between  layers 
of  moist  moss,  and  keeping  the  latter  moist  by  occasional 


A  Southern  Celery  Bed. 

sprinkling.  This  plan  permits  of  packing  celery  in  the  smallest 
possible  space  for  keeping,  and  it  does  keep  well  even  until  spring. 
As  a  further  precaution,  however,  I  would  advise  to  moisten  the 
moss  before  packing  with  a  weak  solution  of  salicylic  acid  (a 
teaspoonful  dissolved  in  a  gallon  of  hot  water). 

Whatever  method  of  storage  is  adopted,  attention  must  be 
paid  to  two  points,  namely,  to  keep  the  foliage  dry,  to  prevent 
rotting,  and  the  soil  moist,  to  prevent  wilting. 

A  SOUTHERN  WAY  OF  GROWING  CELERY. — The  method  which 
I  found  in  general  use  from  Maryland  south,  is  almost  entirely 
unknown  to  the  northern  cultivator;  yet  its  many  decided  ad- 


Southern  Method  of  Handling  and  Banking  Celery. 


vantages  strongly  recommend  its  adoption,  at  least  for  trial,  in 
every  northern  kitchen  garden.  I  is  especially  suited  for 
growing  the  self-blanching  sorts. 

The  ground  is  laid  off  in  beds  5  or  6  feet  wide,  with  alleys 
of  the  same  width  between  them.  These  beds  are  usually  lowered 
3  or  4  inches  by  shovelling  the  soil  off  the  surface  and  throwing 
it  in  the  alleys. 


184 — How  to  Make  the  Garden  Pay. 

An  outline  of  such  bed  is  shown  on  the  preceding  page. 
Fine  compost  is  then  applied  to  the  depth  of  several  inches,  and 
spaded  or  forked  into  the  soil,  after  which  the  plants  are  set  in 
rows  one  foot  wide  across  the  bed,  and  6  inches  apart  in  the 
rows.  This  is  crowding  the  plants  so  closely  together  that  they 
will  grow  pretty  nearly  upright  without  handling.  They  will 

need  hoeing  once  or  twice, 
and  in  a  dry  time  can  easily  be 
watered,  or  provided  with  half 
shade,  since  the  area  is  so 
ridiculously  small  for  the  num- 
ber of  plants.  For  convenience 
in  earthing-up,  two  boards  each 
10  inches  wide,  and  7  or  8  feet 
long,  with  ends  tapering  for  a 
handle,  are  set  up  on  edge 
between  two  rows  of  plants, 
one  to  each  side,  as  shown  to 
the  right  of  illustration.  Pegs 
driven  into  the  ground  on  the 


outside  at  each  end  hold  the  boards 
in  position.  The  space  between 
them  is  then  filled  up  with  soil 
from  the  alleys.  This  work — and 
earthing-up  celery  generally — can 
be  done  to  best  advantage  by  two 
men,  one  standing  at  each  side  of 
the  bed.  When  the  space  is  shov- 
elled level  full,  each  man  grasps 
the  boards  by  the  handles  on  his 
side  and  presses  the  upper  ends 
together  with  a  few  smart  raps, 
then  proceeds  to  take  the  boards 
out,  and  to  insert  them  in  the  next 
row.  Thus  the  soil  is  left  in  a  sort 
of  ridge  between  each  two  rows  of 

plants,  and  the  handling  is  done  afterwards  by  hand  in  the  usual 
manner.  The  boards  are  then  again  brought  into  use  in  same 
way,  and  the  process  of  earthing-up  continued  as  needed.  For 
winter  protection  the  whole  bed  is  covered  up  with  a  thick 
and  well-rounded  layer  of  earth,  and  further  protected  with 


Crawford's  Half-Dwarf. 


Cultural  Directions. — 185 

leaves  or  litter  of  some  sort.  Northern  growers  who  wish  to 
adopt  this  method,  may  have  to  vary  it  in  some  respects  to 
suit  the  circumstances. 

VARIETIES. 

There  is  more  difference  in  quality  between  different  lots  of  the 
same  variety  when  grown  under  different  conditions  and  differently 
managed,  than  there  is  between  different 
varieties  grown  exactly  alike  and  at  the 
same  time.  As  I  grow  it  year  after 
year,  forcing  rapid  succulent  growth 
by  the  free  use  of  nitrogenous  fertil- 
izers, especially  of  composted  hen 
manure  and  nitrate  of  soda  (concen- 
trated fertilizers  alone  will  not  do  for 
me),  I  nave  celery  in  perfection — white 
as  snow  or  yellow  as  gold,  brittle  as 
glass,  and  sweet  as  a  nut.  But  it  is 
always  at  its  best  when  freshly  dug 


Golden  Heart. 

from  the  bed,  in  late 
fall  or  winter.  The 
early  stuff  brought  to 


Golden  Se1f-Blanchmg. 


September,  whether  home-grown  or  from  Kalamazoo,  is  not  to 
my  taste.  The  self-bleaching  celeries  need  higher  culture  than 
the  common  sorts,  otherwise  they  iire  liable  to  be  more  dwarf 
than  desirable.  Their  flavor  is  improved  by  earthing-up  same  as 
other  celeries,  but  they  can  be  made  fit  for  the  table  by  mere 


186 — How  to  Make  the  Garden  Pay. 

"handling,"  hence  are  sometimes, and  justly  so,  called  "the  busy 
(or  lazy)  man's  celery."  The  red  or  pink  celeries  are  charac- 
terized not  only  by  greater  vigor  of  growth  than  the  other 
classes,  but  also  by  very  superior  flavor,  hence  deserve  to  be 
much  more  largely  grown  than  they  actually  are. 

The  tall  sorts  formerly  grown  for  market  to  the  exclusion 
of  all  others,  are  now  almost  gone  out  of  cultivation,  and  the 

dwarf  sorts  have  taken  their  places — 
very  deservedly  so,  too. 

White  Plume. — The  general  favor- 
ite among  the  self-blanching  varieties, 
and  especially  valuable  for  early  use, 
both  as  a  table  sort  and  for  market. 
It  is  quite  dwarf,  but  compact,  and 
decidedly  attractive.  No  grower  for  any 


Fern-Leaved. 


purpose  should  neglect  to  make  the  acquaintance  of  White  Plume. 

Golden  Self- Blanching,  of  beautiful  golden  color,  but  of 
too  dwarfish  habit  of  growth  except  under  highest  culture. 

Crawford's  Half-Dwarf,  Henderson's  Half-Dwarf,  until 
recently  the  most  popular  sort  among  market  gardeners ;  yellowish 
white  when  blanched,  of  compact  habit  of  growth,  and  fine 
quality;  very  solid. 

Giant  Pascal. — This  variety  is  an  offspring  of  the  Golden 
Self  Blanching,  most  carefully  selected.  It  partakes  of  its  nutty 
flavor,  and  has  no  bitter  taste  at  all.  The  stalks  are  very  large, 
solid,  and  not  stringy,  in  fact  it  is  the  largest  celery  yet  known  as 
to  width  of  stalks.  It  blanches  very  easily. 


Cultural  Directions. — 187 

Golden  Heart  is  constantly  gaining  in  popularity,  both  as  a 
market  variety  and  for  the  family  garden,  and  well  deserves  it. 
Of  beautiful  golden  color  when  bleached,  and  fully  the  equal  of 
Crawford's  Half- Dwarf  in  every  other  respect.  Can  be  planted 
with  entire  confidence.  Kalamazoo  is  probably  identical  with 
Golden  Heart. 

Large  White  Solid. — Popular  among  growers  who  plant 
the  taller  kinds. 

Boston  Market. — A  somewhat  branching  or  suckering  sort 
of  rich,  nutty  flavor.  Very  popular  among  the  gardeners  near 
Boston.  Stalks  solid. 

Dwarf  Large  Ribbed. — Very  solid,  of  crisp  nutty  flavor ; 
pearly  white  and  an  extra  good  keeper.  Largely  grown  in  the 
Kalamazoo  celery  districts. 

Fern-Leaved,  Bouquet. — Very  attractive  during  growth  on 
account  of  finely-serrated  leaves  ;  apparently  a  strong  grower. 

New  Rose. — Beautiful;  vigorous  in  growth;  superior  in 
flavor.  Decidedly  desirable  for  the  home  garden. 

CELERIAC  OR  TURNIP-ROOTED  CELERY. 

Apium  Graveoleus ;  German,  Knollen  Sellerie ;  French, 
Celeri  Rave;  Spanish,  Apio  nabo.  —  Celeriac  is  merely  a 
variety  of  the  common  celery  with  abnormal  root 
development,  and  like  others,  requires  good,  rich, 
mellow  soil.  It  is  sown  in  seed-bed  in  early  spring, 
and  planted  out  in  rows  18 
inches  apart  and  6  inches 
apart  in  the  rows.  Keep  free 
from  weeds  and  well  culti- 
vated, neither  handling  nor 
earthing-up  being  required. 
The  tuberous  root  is  the  part 
used,  especially  for  flavoring  Celeriac. 
soups,  etc.  Boiled,  sliced,  and 
served  with  oil  and  vinegar,  etc.,  it  forms  the  celebrated  dish 
known  as  "  Celery  Salad."  Of  the  various  varieties  the  newer 
Apple- Shaped  deserves  to  be  mentioned  as  one  of  the  best. 

CH  ERVI L— TURN  IP-ROOTED. 

Chcerophyllum  bulb  o  sum.  German,  Kerb  el ;  French,  Cerfeuil 
Tubereux ;  Spanish,  Perifollo. 

The  root  of  this  hardy  vegetable  resembles  a  short  carrot 
or  parsnip;  somewhat  smaller,  of  dark  gray  color,  and  with 
yellowish  white  flesh,  which  is  sweet  and  mealy,  reminding  of  sweet 
potato.  Chervil,  if  fresh  seed  is  sown,  either  in  autumn  or  early 
spring,  is  of  easy  culture,  being  managed  and  used  in  same  way 


Chervil. 


Collard. 


188 — How  to  Make  the  Garden  Pay. 

as  parsnips.  It  succeeds  everywhere,  and  is  improved  by  frost. 
The  stalks  grow  tall  and  vigorous,  and  die  down  early  in  the 
season,  indicating  that  the  tubers  have  reached  maturity. 

CHICORY. 

Cichorium  Intybus ;  German,  Cichorie ;  French,  Chicoree ; 
Spanish,  Achicoria. — Chicory  is  generally  known  as  a  substitute 
for  coffee.  For  this 
purpose  the  root  is 
roasted  and  ground. 
The  vegetable  is 
easily  grown,  some- 
what like  carrots. 
Seed  should  be  sown 
in  spring,  in  drills  a 
foot  apart,  and  plants 
thinned  to  about  4 
inches  distance  in  the 
drills.  The  leaves  are 
sometimes  blanched 

and  used   as   salad. 
Chicory.  The     blanching     is 

done  in  the  cellar.  The  plants  should  be  taken  up  at  the  begin- 
ning of  cold  weather,  the  leaves  cut  off  ^-inch  or  so  above  the 
root  crown,  and  placed  horizontally  in  layers,  alternating  with 
layers  of  sand  or  soil,  the  root  crowns  all  pointing  outward  of 
the  sloping  heaps,  to  give  them  a  chance  for  free  growth.  If  the 
soil  is  rather  dry,  a  slight  watering  may  be  given.  In  a  few 
weeks,  if  the  temperature  of  the  cellar  is  high  enough,  the 
leaves  will  have  made  considerable  growth,  and  may  be  used. 

*      CHIVES. 

Allium  Schoenoprasum ;  German,  Schnittlauch ;  French 
Civette  ;  Spanish ,  Cibellino. 

A  plant  of  the  onion  family,  growing  in  large  tufts,  perfectly 
hardy,  and  requiring  no  attention  after  being  once  planted. 
Bulbs,  oval  and  small,  forming  a  compact  mass.  Leaves  numer- 
ous and  slender,  and  generally  used  in  the  raw  state  as  a  relish, 
with  bread  and  butter,  etc.  Propagated  by  division  of  the  root. 
Planted  in  permanent  border,  6  or  8  inches  apart. 

COLLARD  OR  COLEWORT. 

Brassica  Oleracea.  Nothing  more  nor  less  than  common 
cabbage  used  while  young.  It  seems  to  me  that  one  might 
be  satisfied  with  the  good  American  name  "  cabbage  greens," 
and  as  such  they  are  known  and  used  quite  commonly  in  the 


Cultural  Directions. — 189 

southern  states.  Cabbage  seed  is  sown  thickly  in  rows  a  foot 
apart,  cultivated  as  if  grown  for  plants,  and  cut  and  used  when 
about  8  inches  high.  English  gardeners  cultivate  a  distinct 
variety  under  the  name  of  '  'Green  Rosette  Colewort "  or  Gollard. 

CORIANDER. 

Coriandrum  Sativum.  German,  Coriander ;  French,  Cori- 
andre  ;  Spanish,  Culantro. — An  annual  herb  of  easy  culture,  with 
branching  stems,  grown  for  its  aromatic  seed.  It  likes  light  and 
warm  soils.  Sow  seed  in  spring,  in  rows  a  foot  apart,  and  keep 
free  from  weeds. 

CORN  SALAD  OR  FETTICUS. 

Valerianella  Olitoria.     German,  Acker  Salat,  Lammersalat ; 
French,  Mache  ;  Spanish,  Canonigos. — This  hardy  plant  is  much 
grown  and  used  for  salads,  and  freely  offered 
in  large  city  markets.     For  summer  use,  sow 
early  in  spring,  in  rows  one  foot  apart,  and 
keep  the  ground  well  cultivated  and  free  from 
weeds.     For  early  spring  use,  seed  is  sown  in 
September,  and  same  treatment  and  protection 
given  as  for  spinach.      Several  varieties  are 
quoted     in    English     catalogues,     of    which         Corn  Salad. 
Large  Round-Leaved  is  as  good  as  any. 

CORN. 

Sweet  Corn.  Zca  Mays.  German,  Mais;  French,  Mais 
Sucre  ;  Spanish,  Mais. — Sweet  corn  for  market  is  emphatically  a 
farm  garden  crop,  but  rarely  grown  in  the  market  garden,  since  the 
area  required  for  its  culture  is  by  far  too  large  to  fit  into  the  market 
gardener's  limited  space.  On  the  other  hand,  really  good  sweet 
corn  furnishes  such  a  delicious  and  wholesome  dish,  one  that 
graces  our  table,  and  gratifies  our  palates  for  several  months 
every  year,  that  a  large  part  of  the  kitchen  garden  (if  it  be  a  large 
one)  may  be  profitably  devoted  to  this  crop.  In  that  case  it 
should  be  our  aim  to  have  an  unbroken  succession  all  during  the 
season ;  and  we  can  easily  have  it  by  planting  the  early,  inter- 
mediate, and  late  kinds  at  one  time,  and  then  continue  to  plant 
a  patch  of  the  latest  every  two  weeks  until  middle  of  July. 
Farmers,  who  usually  have  but  a  small  garden  (certainly  much 
smaller  generally  than  they  ought  to  have),  had  better  plant  it 
with  garden  crops  requiring  less  room,  and  devote  a  quarter  or 
half  acre  of  the  regular  cornfield  to  the  production  of  sweet  corn 
for  the  table.  I  know  there  is  considerable  prejudice  in  the  minds 
of  most  people  against  the  free  use  of  "  green  "  corn.  I  consider 


igo — How  to  Make  the  Garden  Pay. 

it  decidedly  wholesome,  almost  in  the  light  of  a  natural  and 
needed  medicine,  and  consequently  we  indulge  in  it  to  the  fullest 
limit  of  our  natural  appetites,  without  ever  experiencing  the  ill 
effects  so  dreaded  by  the  masses. 

As  a  farm  or  farm  garden  crop,  I  place  it  far  ahead  in 
profitableness  to  common  field  corn  or  potatoes.  There  are  few 
localities  in  which  a  reasonable  quantity  of  good  boiling  ears 
could  not  find  ready  sale  at  75  cents  or  $1  per  hundred.  Where 
grown  for  canning  or  evaporating,  of  course,  the  ruling  price  has 
to  be  accepted.  I  find  that  I  can  plant  sweet  corn  closer,  and 
grow  at  least  one-half  as  many  more  ears  to  the  acre  than  I  can 
of  field  corn,  and  this  even  with  less  labor  and  risk,  and  with  no 
greater  amount  of  manure.  Consequently  the  grower  easily 
realizes  two  or  three  times  the  profits  on  sweet  corn  that  he 
would  on  the  other. 

Sometimes  I  have  wondered  why  farmers  living  in  a  locality 
where  there  is  a  steady  and  sure  annual  demand  for  "  roasting  " 
ears  at  the  prices  mentioned,  go  on  planting  their  whole  available 
ground  with  field  corn,  which  they  have  to  sell  at  25  cents  per 
bushel  ears,  or  50  cents  shelled,  while  so  much  better  opportunities 
are  offered  to  them  in  the  cultivation  of  sweet  corn. 

SOIL  AND  CULTURE. — Corn  delights  in  warm,  well-drained 
soil ;  and  none  is  better  for  it  than  a  rich  clover  sod.  The  plant 
is  a  quick  grower  and  a  powerful  eater,  and  not  in  the  least 
particular  as  to  the  kind  of  food.  Anything  in  the  shape  of 
plant  food  comes  acceptable,  even  fresh,  coarse  stable  manure. 
Good  crops  can  be  grown  in  thin  soils,  if  dressed  broadcast  with 
from  400  to  800  Ibs.  of  some  high  grade  complete  fertilizer  per 
acre,  harrowed  or  plowed  in.  Sometimes  we  may  plant  corn  on 
unmanured  land,  in  the  supposition  that  it  is  rich  enough  for 
the  crop  ;  only  to  find  out  our  mistake  afterwards,  by  seeing  the 
plants  at  almost  a  complete  stand-still.  Even  at  this  late  period 
the  matter  can  be  easily  remedied  in  most  cases,  and  a  fair  crop 
obtained,  by  applying  a  few  hundred  pounds  of  the  fertilizer  per 
acre  as  a  top-dressing  between  the  rows. 

Planting  in  hills  for  the  purpose  of  cultivating  both  ways 
may  be  admissible  on  rough,  stony,  or  gravelly  farm  land,  and 
for  farm  crops  ;  but  we  want  none  of  it  in  the  garden,  provided 
it  is  such  as  it  should  be — long  and  narrow  in  shape,  and  of 
clean,  well-tilled  soil.  The  drill  method  with  corn,  and  most 
other  crops,  gives  us  an  increased  yield  at  no  increase  of  labor ; 
for  with  skillful  management  of  the  narrow-toothed  cultivator  or 
wheel-hoe,  going  twice  (back  and  forth)  between  each  two  rows, 
each  time  close  to  the  one  at  the  right,  the  entire  surface  of  a 
reasonably  level  and  smooth  piece  of  land  can  be  so  thoroughly 
and  effectively  stirred,  that  the  field  will  appear  as  if  it  had  been 
harrowed  all  over.  While  the  plants  are  yet  young,  in  good 


Cultural  Directions. — 191 


192 — How  to  Make  the  Garden  Pay. 

mellow  soil,  there  will  be  absolutely  nothing  left  to  be  done  with 
the  hand  hoe,  nor  will  there  be,  or  at  least  only  very  little,  later 
on,  if  skillful  cultivator  work  is  persistently  and  timely  done. 

The  early  dwarf  sorts  may  be  planted  in  drills  2^/2  or  3  feet 
apart,  one  stalk  every  6  or  8  inches,  or  two  to  three  plants  every 
12  to  1 8  inches;  the  intermediate  varieties  need  a  little  more 
space;  and  the  late  tall  sorts  should  have  the  rows  3^  or  4  feet 
apart,  one  stalk  every  8  or  10  inches,  or  two  to  three  stalks  every 
1 8  inches.  The  ears  are  of  best  table  quality  when  freshly 
broken  off  the  plants,  and  greatly  lose  in  this  respect  by  standing 
about  and  becoming  wilted. 

VARIETIES. 

Cory  Sweet. — I  have  grown  this  fora  number  of  years,  and 
consider  it  by  far  the  best  of  the  earlies,  and  the  earliest  of  all 
that  are  worth  growing.  Stalk  remarkably  dwarf,  and  ear 
remarkably  large  for  such  a  small  sort.  Easily  grown  and 
always  satisfactory.  Tender  and  sweet. 

Early  Minnesota,  Early  Marblehead,  and  Crosby's 
Extra  Early,  are  early  sorts  with  small  ears,  but  largely  grown 
for  earliest  market  and  home  use. 

Mexican  Sweet,  Black  Mexican,  Blue  Mexican. — A 
second  early  sort  with  fair-sized  ears.  Kernels  extremely  sweet 
and  tender,  and  of  a  dark  bluish  purple  when  ripe.  Good  only 
for  the  home  garden. 

Perry's  Early,  of  vigorous  growth,  fair-sized  ear,  and  good 
quality. 

Maule's  XX  Sugar. — Fit  for  the  table  in  9  to  10  weeks 
from  planting,  and  of  a  most  delicious  sweet  and  sugary  flavor. 
It  is  of  comparatively  dwarf  habit,  stalks  seldom  growing  more 
than  4  to  5  feet  high.  Remains  long  in  an  edible  condition,  and 
matures  in  a  comparatively  short  time  for  such  a  large-eared  sort. 

Everbearing. — Ears  are  of  good  size,  and  covered  with 
kernels  clear  to  end  of  the  cob.  Ripening  a  few  days  after  the 
Amber  Cream,  each  stalk  will  produce  one  to  two,  and  at  times 
four  to  five,  well-developed  ears. 

Amber  Cream. — Medium  early,  of  strong  growth.  Ears  of 
good  size.  Kernels  amber  colored  when  ripe.  Held  in  high 
esteem  wherever  grown. 

Evergreen,  Stowell's  Evergreen. — This  is  probably  the 
most  popular  late  variety,  both  for  market  and  home  use,  of  strong 
vigorous  growth,  and  with  large  tender  ears,  that  remain  in 
condition  for  table  use  for  a  long  time.  Also  much  grown  for 
fodder  purposes. 

Egyptian,  in  all  its  valuable  characteristics  somewhat 
similar  to  Evergreen.  Ears  very  large,  tender  and  sweet.  Much 
grown  for  canning  purposes. 


Cultural  Directions. — 193 

Gold  Coin. — A  recently-introduced  variety,  with  as  large 
an  ear  as  Evergreen,  but  maturing  a  few  days  earlier. 

Mammoth  Sugar  is  very  late,  and  produces  the  largest  ears 
of  any  variety.  Of  good  quality  and  superior  for  canning. 
Remains  long  in  the  green  state. 

POP  CORN. 

VARIETIES. 

Pop  Corn  is  emphatically  a  crop  for  the  children,  and  they 
would  hardly  consider  the  garden  complete  without  a  row  or  two. 
It  is  as  easily  grown  as  field  corn,  and  while  the  ears  are  not  very 
large,  their  number,  especially  with  somewhat  close  planting, 
will  go  far  to  make  up  for  lack  of  size. 

White  Rice  is  more  generally  grown  than  any  other. 
Ears  quite  large,  a  number'  of  them  growing  on  one  stalk. 
Kernels  sharply  pointed.  Superior  for  popping. 


Queen's  Golden  Pop  Corn. 

Golden  Pop,  Queen's  Golden  Pop.  Handsome,  prolific 
and  reliable. 

Marblehead  Prolific. — This  new  variety  is  claimed  to  be 
the  m6st  productive  pop  corn  in  cultivation.  Ears  are  eight  to 
ten  inches  long,  filled  out  to  the  end  with  bright  handsome  white 
grains. 

CRESS   OR  PEPPERGRASS. 

Lepidium  Sativum.  German,  Kresse ;  French,  Cresson ; 
Spanish,  Mastuerzo.  No  vegetable  starts  quicker  from  seed,  or 
is  easier  to  grow  if  the  flea  beetle  is  kept  off.  The  leaves  have  a 
very  pungent  taste,  and  are  much  used  as  a  salad,  usually  as  a 
condiment  with  lettuce  and  other  salad  materials.  Sow  seed 
thickly  in  drills  one  foot  apart,  guard  against  flea  beetle  depreda- 
tions while  the  plants  are  small,  and  cut  as  desired.  The  plants 
run  to  seed  quickly,  and  frequent  successive  sowings  must  be 
made,  if  a  constant  supply  is  wanted. 

Of  the  several  varieties,  the  Curled  or  Normandy  Garden 
Cress  and  the  Extra  Curled  Dwarf  are  generally  grown  in 
America. 

Water  Cress. — Nasturtium  officinale.  German,  Brunnen- 
kresse ;  French,  Cresson  de  Fontaine ;  Spanish,  Berro.  This 
hardy  perennial  aquatic  plant  roots  readily  both  in  water,  and  wet 


Water  Cress. 


Gather 
spring. 


194 — How  to  Make  the  Garden  Pay. 

or  moist  soil,  and  after  once  being  introduced,  will  thrive  in 
almost  any  small  stream  of  clear,  cold  water,  ditch  or  pond, 
without  care  or  culture.  On  account  of  the  pleasant  pungency 
and  hygienic  properties  of  the  leaves,  it  is  highly  esteemed  as  a 
table  delicacy,  and  extensively  grown  for 
market  near  all  the  larger  cities.  It  makes 
a  superior  salad,  and  fine  material  for  garnish- 
ing. To  introduce  it  in  any  stream  or  body 
of  water,  sow  seed  or  a  few  cuttings  or  pieces 
of  root  in  the  mud,  along  the  margin,  and  it 
will  increase  rapidly,  often  entirely  overrunning 
ditches  and  small  brooks.  Flooding  is  the 
best  winter  protection, 
and  market  in 
It  also  grows 
well  on  a  moist  green- 
house bench,  and  on  any 
upland  that  can  be  kept 
continuously  moist. 

Upland  Cress,  Amer- 
ican Cress. — Barb  are  a 
praecox;  German,  Amer- 
ikanische  Winter  Kresse  ; 
French,  Cresson  de  terrc. 
— Native  biennial  of 
Europe,  resembling 
Upland  Cress.  Water  Cress  in  taste, 

and  used  for  seasoning  and  garnishing,  4  Easily  grown  from  seed. 
I  have  no  high  opinion  of  it,  and  do  not  recommend  it 

CUCUMBER. 

Cucumis  Sativus.  German,  Gurke ;  French,  Concombre ; 
Spanish,  Cohombro.  Under  heading  of  "  Cold  Forcing  Houses  " 
(Chapter  XIII)  I  have  already  alluded 
to  cucumbers  as  a  profitable  crop  for 
culture  under  glass.  Otherwise  the  bulk 
of  cucumbers  and  pickles  grown  for 
market  is  produced  in  the  farm  garden 
rather  than  the  market  garden,  simply 
because  the  market  gardener  has  not 
sufficient  space.  Almost  any  kind  of 
well-drained  soil  will  produce  cucum- 
bers, provided  it  is  rich  enough,  or  made 
so.  Young  clover  sod  is  good.  The 
selection  of  new  ground — wide  crop  rotation — is  always  a  good 
precautionary  measure,  and  liable  to  lessen  the  dangers  from 
insect  and  disease  attacks. 


Cultural  Directions. — 195 

Plow  deep  and  thoroughly,  and  mellow  the  surface  in  the 
usual  manner.  Then  mark  out  the  ground  four  feet  apart,  both 
ways ;  put  a  large  shovelful  of  good  compost  in  each  intersec- 
tion, and  mix  it  thoroughly  with  the  soil.  When  danger  from 


Peerless. 


Chicago  Pickle. 


Tailby's  Hybrid. 


late  frosts  is  past,  plant  into  the  hills  thus  made,  using  plenty  of 
seed  to  make  allowance  for  injury  by  insects,  etc.,  and  when  the 
plants  begin  to  run,  thin  to  the  best  three  or  four  in  each  hill. 
From  the  time  they  begin  to  come  up  until  several  leaves  are 
made,  they  should  be  kept  dusted  with  plaster  or  a  poisoned 
plaster  mixture,  as  a  preventive  for  insects.  Occasional  water- 
ing with  washing  suds  during  dry  weather  is  of  great  benefit 
Keep  the  ground  well  cultivated  and  free  from  weeds.  It  is  not 
desirable  to  plant  or  hill  up  in  great  mounds,  since  cucumbers 


Evergreen  Cucumber. 

need  considerable  moisture  to  do  well.  Gather  the  fruit  regularly, 
without  leaving  any  specimens  to  ripen,  or  the  vines  will  stop 
bearing.  For  early  market,  and  as  a  safeguard  against  insect 
depredations,  the  plants  may  be  started  on  inverted  sods  under 


196 — How  to  Make  the  Garden  Pay. 

glass  in  same  way  as  mentioned  for  Lima  beans,  and  also  prac- 
tised with  melons  and  squashes.  This  is  done  two  or  three 
weeks  before  the  usual  period  for  outdoor  planting. 

The  demand  for  pickles  is  largest  in  the  fall,  and  the  planting 
for  pickles  is  usually  postponed  until  latter  part  of  June  or  fore- 
part of  July. 

VARIETIES. 

Maule's  Extra  Early. — A  cross  between  the  Early  Russian 
and  Green  Prolific ;  as  early  as  the  former,  while  it  combines  the 

fine  pickling  qualities  of 
the  latter. 

Early  Russian. — The 
earliest  variety.  Fruit 
small,  growing  in  pairs, 
and  produced  in  great 
number.  Good  for  small 
pickles. 

Early  Cluster,  Green 
Cluster, 


Early  Russian. 

Green  Prolific, 

Early  Frame, 

Short  Green, 

"White  Japan, 

Jersey  Pickle, 

Chicago  Pickle, 
all  these  are  intermediate  sorts, 
reliable  for  pickling  purposes. 

Peerless  White  Spine, 

Evergreen, 

Long  White  Spine, 

Improved  Long  Green, 
are  popular  varieties  for  table 
use  and  large  pickles. 

Nichol's  Medium  Green, 
recently  introduced,  is  a  good 
all-purpose  cucumber. 

Tailby's  Hybrid.  — A 
hybrid  of  White  Spine  with  one  of  the  large  English  Frame 
varieties.  Very  large  and  solid,  containing  but  few  seeds.  A 
really  fine  and  handsome  sort,  but  not  as  prolific  as  I  would 
wish. 


Nichols'  Medium  Green. 


Cultural  Directions.— 197 

Snake  Cucumber  (C.  Flexuosus). — More  of  a  curiosity  than 
of  practical  usefulness.  Several  feet  in  length,  and  always 
growing  in  a  coil. 

Giant  Pera. — A  newly 
introduced  sort  of  great  length 
and  solidity,  having  but  few 
seeds. 

Small  Gherkin,  Prickly 
Gherkin,  West  India  Gherkin, 
Burr  (C.  Angurid). — A  strong- 
growing  plant  bearing  its  small, 
prickly  fruit  in  great  abundance. 
It  is  largely  used  for  pickles. 

Should  be  planted  in  hills   not  Snake  Cucumber, 

less  than  5  feet  apart  each  way,  with  two  or  three  plants  to  the 
hill. 

DANDELION. 

Leontodon  Taraxacum.  German,  Lowenzahn ;  French, 
Dent-de-lion. — This  common  weed  of  our  fields  and  meadows  is 
often  gathered  and  prepared  for  <4  greens."  Esteemed  especially 
for  its  hygienic  properties.  Careful  selection  of  seed  has  resulted 
in  a  number  of  improved  varieties,  which  are  cultivated  in 
European  gardens,  both  for  spring  greens  and  salad. 

Americans  are  only  just  beginning  to  introduce  its  cultiva- 
tion into  their  gardens.  I  have  a  mammoth  variety  from  Penn- 
sylvania under  trial. 

The  cultivation  is  simple.  Sow  seed  in  early  spring  in  hills 
one  foot  apart,  and  thin  or  transplant  to  from  10  to  12  inches. 

Keep  free  from  weeds.  Leaves 
may  be  cut  for  use  in  fall ;  and 
the  plantation  will  continue  to 
yield  during  the  spring  of  next 
year.  European  gardeners  often 
improve  the  flavor  of  this  vege- 
table by  blanching  the  leaves, 

Dandelion.  eit.her  b/  covering  the  bed  with 

a  layer  of  sand  or  by  putting 
a  large  flower  pot,  inverted,  over  each  plant 

DILL. 

Anethumgraveolens.  German,  Dill ;  French,  Aneth  ;  Spanish, 
Eneldo. — An  annual  herb  of  easiest  culture,  much  used  by 
Germans  as  a  condiment,  or  flavoring  for  pickled  cucumbers, 
beans,  etc.  Sow  seed  in  spring  or  summer,  in  drills  one  foot 


igB — How  to  Make  the  Garden  Pay. 

apart,  and  keep  free  from  weeds.  Where  seed  was  left  to  ripen 
plants  will  spring  up  in  great  abundance  the  season  following 
Little  attention  in  the  way  of  manuring  or  cultivation  is  required. 

EGG  PLANT. 

Solanum  melongena.  German,  Eierpflanze  ;  French,  Auber- 
gine ;  Spanish,  Berengena. — In  the  cultivation  of  the  egg-plant 
we  have  to  face  several  serious  difficulties,  among  them  chiefly 
its  half  tropical  nature,  which  calls  for  the 
display  of  especial  skill  in  raising  good  plants, 
and  the  great  fondness  of  the  potato  bug  for 
this  particular  food. 

GROWING  THE  PLANTS. — First  of  all  we 
need  strong  plants.  To  start  the  seed  and 
cause  thrifty  plant  growth,  a  higher  degree  of 
heat  and  that  of  longer  duration  is  required 
than  for  tomatoes  or  peppers.  A  good  green- 
house, with  heat  under  full  control,  is  a  great 
convenience  in  this  emergency.  The  temper- 
ature should  not  be  allowed  to  fall  below  70 
degrees  Fahr.  during  any  of  the  stages  of 
development.  Sow  seed  during  March  or 
when  plants  are 

about  an  inch  high,  prick  them 
out  in  pots  or  old  tomato  cans,  in 
good  rich  potting  soil.  Where  no 
warm  greenhouse  is  at  hand,  a 
fresh  hot-bed  will  have  to  answer 
for  sowing  seed;  but  the  young 
plants  as  soon  as  potted  off  should 
be  transferred  to  another,  freshly- 
made  hot-bed.  Better  plants  are 
usually  grown  in  tomato  cans,  or  in 
large  boxes,  than  in  ordinary  flower 
pots. 

PLANTING  AND  CULTIVATION. — 
Well-drained,  warm,  rich  soil  is  an 
indispensable  condition  of  success 
with  this  crop.  Good  compost,  or 
other  good  fertilizer,  should  not 
be  spared.  When  the  ground 
has  become  thoroughly  warmed 
through,  and  not  before,  set  the  plants  2  or  3  feet  apart  each  way 
— the  latter  distance  in  rich  soil — and  keep  well  cultivated  and 
free  from  weeds.  Dusting  the  plants  frequently  with  plaster, 
especially  if  a  little  carbolic  acid  is  mixed  with  it,  has  a  decided 


Long  Purple, 
early  April,  and 


New  York  Purple. 


Cultural  Directions. — 199 

tendency  toward  making  bug  visits  less  frequent;  but  where 
these  are  very  troublesome,  applications  of  the  Paris  green  mix- 
tures will  be  necessary.  For  a  number  of  years,  while  in  New 
Jersey,  I  have  tried  in  vain  to  save  a  few  plants  from  utter 
destruction  by  bugs  in  early  autumn.  When  the  tops  of  the 
late  potatoes  have  died  down  (in  August)  it  becomes  a  matter 
of  life  and  death  to  the  hordes  of  hard-shell  beetles  to  find  a 
little  food.  So  they  all  at  once  pounce  in  full  force  upon  the 
egg-plants  in  the  neighborhood,  and  will  devour  them  even  to 
the  stalks,  in  spite  of  all  the  applications  we  might  make.  In 
such  cases  the  only  hope  for  success  lies  in  extensive  planting 
and  close  watching.  If  any  one  can  tell  me  a  practical  method 
of  protecting  a  few  plants  I  shall  be  glad  to  hear. 

VARIETIES. 

New  York  Improved,  New  York  Improved  Purple. — 
This  is  more  generally  grown  for  market  than  any  other ;  and  on 
account  of  its  mammoth  size,  handsome  shape  and  color,  a  great 
favorite.  A  selection  of  this  naturally  very  prickly  sort,  much 
grown  among  New  Jersey  market  gardeners,  is  entirely  free  from 
spines. 

Earliest  Dwarf  Purple. — Too  small  for  market,  otherwise 
resembling  the  New  York  Improved,  only  considerably  earlier, 
and  for  this  reason  valuable  for  home  gardens  at  the  extreme 
north.  Here  I  have  little  use  for  it. 

Early  Long  Purple. — Two  or  three  times  as  long  as  it  is 
broad.  Color  varies  somewhat.  Not  much  grown  for  market, 
but  good  for  the  home  garden,  as  it  is  early  and  comparatively 
of  easy  culture. 

Black  Pekin. — Almost  round  in  shape,  and  very  dark  in 
color.  Quite  early  for  so  large  a  variety. 

Japanese  Varieties. — Of  these  I  have  two  under  test.  They 
appear  to  be  much  hardier  and  easier  to  grow  than  other  egg- 
plants, but  fruit  is  small  and  only  valuable  for  the  home  garden. 

ENDIVE. 

Cichorium  Endivia.  German,  Endivien ;  French,  Chicoree 
Endive  ;  Spanish,  Endivia. — Endive,  one  of  the  best  of  fall  and 
winter  salads,  is  not  yet  appreciated  in  America  as  is  deserves. 
Practically  unknown  in  the  average  home  garden,  it  is  found  only 
in  larger  markets,  and  often  there  in  but  limited  quantity.  If  my 
readers  will  once  try  it,  and  bring  it  on  the  table  well  bleached, 
crisp  and  tender,  as  a  salad,  in  late  fall  or  winter,  I  think  they 
will  continue  to  grow  it,  thus  adding  to  the  luxuries  of  their 
table. 


200 — How  to  Make  the  Garden  Pay. 

Its  culture  is  simple ;  its  requirements  as  to  manure  and  soil 
are  modest.  For  summer  use  sow  seed  in  April  or  May  ;  for  fall 
and  winter  use  in  June,  July,  and  early  August.  Have  drills  one 
foot  apart,  and  thin  or  transplant  to  same  distance  in  the  drill. 

Hoe  occasionally  to  keep 
free  from  weeds;  and 
when  the  plants  have 
made  about  their  full 
growth,  gather  up  the 
leaves  and  lightly  tie  at 
their  tips.  In  from  one  to 
three  weeks  the  hearts 

______ will   then   bleach   beauti- 

lEndiveT"  fully*     when      the      crop 

should  at  once  be  mar- 
keted or  used.  Do  not  tie  faster  than  the  crop  can  be  disposed 
of;  for  if  left  after  blanching,  the  hearts  will  soon  begin  to  decay. 
I  have  succeeded  in  bleaching  endive  in  less  than  a  week's 
time,  and  much  more  beautifully  than  usually  seen,  by  simply 
placing  one  of  my  celery  bleachers  (largest  size)  over  each 
plant. 

VARIETIES. 

Green  Curled. — Generally  grown  for  market  and  home  use, 
and  good  for  salad,  greens  or  garnishing.  European  catalogues 
list  and  describe  nearly  a  score  of  other  varieties,  among  them 
the  Moss-curled,  Rouen  or  Stag's  Horn,  Green  Curled 
Upright,  Broad  Leaved  or  Batavian,  etc. ;  but  the  Green 
Curled  will  do  me. 

FENNEL;    LONG  SWEET  FENNEL. 

Anethum  Foeniculum.  German,  Fenchel ;  French,  Fenouil 
Doux  ;  Spanish,  Hinojo. — The  seeds  of  this  easily-grown  herb  are 
used  in  the  manufacture  of  liquors,  and  the  leaves  for  various 
culinary  purposes.  Sow  in  drills  one  foot  apart,  like  Dill,  and 
keep  free  from  weeds. 

GARLIC. 

Allium  Sativum.  German,  Knoblauch ;  French,  Ail  Ordi- 
naire ;  Spanish,  Ago  vulgar. — A  well-known  bulbous  perennial 
of  peculiar  strong  taste,  mostly  used  by  the  foreign  part  of  our 
population,  and  valued  more  in  southern  countries  than  at  the 
cold  north,  for  the  simple  reason  that  it  has  much  less  of  the 
biting  flavor  when  grown  in  a  warm  than  in  a  cold  climate. 


Cultural  Directions.— 201 

This  vegetable — if  it  deserves  that  name — is  only  propagated 
by  means  of  its  sets  or  "  cloves,"  of  which  each  full-grown  plant 
has  about  ten.  In  early  spring  plant  them  in  shallow  one-foot 
drills,  about  5  or  6  inches  apart  in  the  drills,  one  clove  in  a  place, 
and  cover  lightly.  The  crop  ripens  about  the  same  time  as 
onions,  and  is  harvested  in  a  similar  manner. 


Garlic  Sets. 

GOURDS.     Fancy  Gourds. 

None  of  these  are  grown  or  used  here  for  culinary  purposes. 
Fruit  of  various  shapes  and  sizes,  often  quite  ornamental,  and 
unique.  Plant  in  hills,  and  train  on  trellis. 

Nest  Egg  Gourd  (Cucumis  colocynthis  oviformis). — Plant 
strong  growing.  Fruit  white  and  resembling  a  hen's  egg  in  size 
and  shape.  Often  used  as  a  nest-egg,  and  answering  this  purpose 
admirably. 


Dipper  Gourd. 

Dipper  Gourd  (Cucurbita  lagenaria), 

Sugar  Trough  \Cucurbita  lagenaria), 

Dish  Cloth  ( Cucurbita  lagenaria}, 

The  fruit  of  all  these  is  sometimes  used  for  the  purpose 
indicated  by  their  respective  names.  When  bruised,  all  the  green 
parts  of  the  plant  emit  a  strong  odor  which  is  far  from  agreeable, 
while  the  flowers  are  quite  fragrant.  All  are  of  rapid  growth, 
and  valuable  for  covering  trellises,  arbors,  and  unsightly  places 
of  any  description,  but  of  no  use  to  us  as  a  kitchen  vegetable. 


2O2 — How  to  Make  the  Garden  Pay. 
HOREHOUND. 

Marrubtum  vulgar e.  German,  Andorn ;  French,  Marrube 
Blanc. — A  perennial  hardy  plant  easily  grown  from  seed  sown  in 
spring,  or  propagated  by  a  division  of  the  tufts.  The  plant  is 
much  used  as  a  cough  remedy,  especially  in  the  form  of  "  hore- 
hound  candy."  Plant  in  drills  one  foot  apart. 

HORSE-RADISH. 

Cochlearia  (Nasturtium]  Armor  acia.  German,  Meerettig ; 
French,  Raifort  Sauvage  ;  Spanish,  Taramago. — Horse-radish  is 
hardly  ever  found  in  the  home  garden  as  a  cultivated  vegetable. 
It  is  allowed  to  propagate  itself  at  will  from  pieces  of  root  left  in 
the  ground  where  a  plant  had  once  been  set  out,  or  otherwise 
obtained  a  foothold,  usually  in  the  back-yard  or  some  out-of-the- 
way  place.  From  this  source  the  family  gets  an  abundant 
supply  year  after  year,  without  ever  bestowing  care  or  attention 
to  it. 

For  both  the  market  and  farm  garden,  however,  horse- 
radish is  a  most  important  crop,  and  almost  invariably  a  profitable 
one.  It  delights  in  deep,  rich,  moist  soil;  and  requires  but  a 
minimum  of  cultivation,  since  it  makes  a  very  large  amount  of 
top,  thus  giving  the  weeds  little  chance,  at  the  same  time  keeping 
the  ground  well-shaded,  moist  and  mellow. 

PLANTING  AND  CULTIVATION. — Horse-radish  produces  no 
seed,  but  is  always  grown  from  "sets"  or  pieces  of  the  smaller 
roots,  cut  4  to  8  inches  in  length,  with  upper  end  slanting  and  lower 
end  square.  For  culture  in  the  farm  garden,  the  ground  is  well- 
manured,  deeply  plowed,  and  otherwise  thoroughly  worked ; 
then  marked  out  in  rows  from  2  to  3  feet  apart.  Here  the  root 
pieces  or  sets  are  planted  15  to  18  inches  apart.  This  is  done 
by  making  a  hole  with  a  long  slim  dibber  or  planting  stick,  or  a 
small,  light  iron  bar,  and  dropping  the  set,  square-end  down,  into 
it,  so  that  the  top  end  is  left  slightly  below  the  surface.  The 
soil  is  then  pressed  firmly  against  the  set.  With  cultivator 
(or  wheel-hoe)  and  hand-hoe  the  ground  is  kept  free  from  weeds, 
until  the  heavy  top  growth  makes  further  working  among  the 
crop  unnecessary. 

The  eastern  market  gardener  adopts  a  somewhat  different 
course.  With  him  horse-radish  is  chiefly  grown  as  a  second 
crop,  .  yet  planted  almost  simultaneously  with  a  first  crop. 
It  usually  is  made  to  follow  early  cabbages,  cauliflower  or 
early  beets.  Just  as  soon  as  the  first  crop  is  planted,  the 
horse-radish  sets  are  put  out,  in  the  manner  described,  in  a 
row  midways  between  each  two  rows  of  the  first-crop  vegetables, 


Cultural  Directions. — 203 

so  to  stand  2  or  2^/2  feet  one  way  by  16  or  18  inches  the  other. 
The  sets  are  put  in  deep  enough  so  the  upper  or  slanting  end 
will  be  about  3  inches  below  the  surface  of  the  ground.  This  is 
done  to  give  the  first  crop  time  to  get  out  of  the 
way  before  the  horse-radish  appears  on  the  scene. 
In  the  cultivation  of  the  former  no  notice  is  taken 
of  the  presence  of  the  horse-radish  underneath, 
except  to  clip  off  any  sprout  foolhardy  enough  to 
come  to  the  surface  prematurely.  Horse-radish 
makes  the  most  of  its  growth  during  the  cooler 
and  moister  weather  of  early  autumn.  When  the 
first  crop  is  taken  off,  its  opportunity  has  come,  and 
it  generally  makes  the  most  of  it.  It  will  need  one 
thorough  hoeing,  and  may  then  be  left  to  take  care 
of  itself.  The  crop  is  dug  late  in  the  fall,  or  after 
all  other  crops  are  taken  care  of,  freed  from  its 
small  roots  and  large  tops,  and  stored  in  root 
houses  or  pits,  to  be  marketed  during  winter.  A 
root  when  ready  for  market,  appears  as  in  annexed 
Horse-radish,  illustration.  Being  trimmed  at  both  ends,  it  is 
given  a  thorough  washing,  and  a  number  of  them  are  then  tied 
together  in  a  bunch,  and  thus  put  on  the  market.  It  is  usually 
sold  by  weight,  and  one  of  the  best  paying  late  crops. 

The  small  roots  are  used  for  sets.  When  removed  from 
main  root  they  are  at  once  cut  of  the  proper  length  and  shape, 
tied  in  bundles,  and  buried  in  sand  in  the  cellar  or  pitted  in  the 
open  ground  until  wanted  in  spring. 

AN  ENGLISH  METHOD. — I 
here  also  illustrate  a  so-called 
improved  way  of  growing  horse- 
radish, described  some  time  ago, 
in  the  Garden  (London).  The 
discoverer  of  this  method  claims 


A  New  Way  of  Growing  Horse-radish, 
that  the  roots,  being  so  much  nearer  the  influence  of  the  sun, 
and  in  warmer  soil  than  those  planted  perpendicularly  (in  the 
usual  way)  grow  to  a  much  larger  size,  and  are  harvested  with 
much  less  labor  than  they  would  otherwise.  The  sets  are  planted 
only  from  2  to  3  inches  deep,  almost  horizontally,  as  indicated  in 
illustration,  and  given  the  cultivation  as  described  for  those 
planted  in  the  usual  way. 


204 — How  to  Make  the  Garden  Pay. 


Hyssop. 


HYSSOP. 

Hyssopus  officinalis.  German,  hop; 
French,  Hyssope ;  Spanish,  Hisopo. — A  low- 
growing,  evergreen  perennial,  preferring  warm, 
calcareous  soil.  In  cold  climates  it  is  usually 
grown  from  seed  sown  in  the  open  ground  in 
April  or  May.  The  leaves  and  other  parts  of 
the  plant  have  an  aromatic  odor,  and  pungent, 
bitter  taste. 


KALE  OR  BORECOLE. 


Brassica  oleracea  acephala.  German,  Braunkohl,  Grunkohl ; 
French,  Chou-vert ;  Spanish,  Breton. — This  vegetable  of  the 
cabbage  family  is  grown  and  used  in  various  ways,  most  usually 
as  "  sprouts  "  for  winter  greens,  similar  to  spinach  or  collards. 
Sow  seed  in  early  autumn,  having  drills  one  foot  apart,  and 
leaving  the  plants  five  or  six  inches  apart  in  the  row.  South  of 
New  York  City  it  is  hardy  enough  to  endure  the  winters  without 
protection.  In  spring  the  plants  are  cut,  dead  leaves  trimmed 
off,  and  put  up  in  barrels  for  sale,  or  used  for  greens.  The 
Germans  usually  plant  kale  as 
one  would  late  cabbages. 
Seed  is  sown  in  spring,  and 
the  plants  set  out  in  June  or 
July,  in  rows  three  feet  apart, 
with  two  or  three  feet  distance 
between  the  plants.  Same 
cultivation  is  given  as  for  cab- 
bages. During  early  winter  Kaje 
the  leaves,  which  grow  to  a 

considerable  size,  are  gathered  frequently  when  frozen,  or  to  be 
dug  from  under  the  snow,  and  used  for  greens.  If  properly 
prepared  they  are  exceedingly  palatable,  especially  as  they  come 
at  a  time  when  fresh  green  stuff  is  quite  scarce.  The  young 
sprouts  issuing  in  spring  from  -the  stumps  are  also  utilized  for 
greens ;  and  when  boiled  and  served  with  vinegar,  make  a  very 
popular  and  palatable  salad. 

VARIETIES. 

German  Greens,  Dwarf  Curled,  Sprouts,  Green  Curled, 
Canada,  Labrador,  with  beautifully  curled,  dark  green  leaves, 
which  usually  rest  on  the  ground,  the  plant  being  quite  dwarf. 
Usually  grown  for  market  as  "  sprouts."  Tender  and  of  superior 
flavor,  almost  equaling  Savoy  cabbages. 


Cultural  Directions. — 205 

Green  Curled  Scotch,  Winter  Greens. — Very  hardy,  two 
to  three  feet  high,  has  many  large  and  beautifully  curled  leaves, 
which,  after  exposure  to  frost,  make  excellent  winter  greens,  and 
sprouts  for  spring  salad.  The  plant  is  one  of  the  hardiest  of 
the  whole  tribe. 

European  seedsmen  list  a  large  number  of  varieties,  little 
grown  in  America,  among  them  the  following  : 

Intermediate  Moss  Curled. 

Tree  Cabbage,  or  Jersey,  which  grows  four  to  five  feet 
high  in  the  first  year  ;  for  cattle. 

Marrow  Kale,  a  large,  coarse  sort,  with  thickened  stem,  for' 
cattle. 

Dwarf  Purple  Curled,  with  very  dark,  curled  leaves,  much 
used  for  winter  greens. 

KOHL-RABI. 

Brassica  Caulo-rapa.  German,  Kohlrabi  ;  French,  ChouRabe; 
Spanish,  Col  de  Nabo. — In  this  we  have  another  vegetable  much 
less  cultivated  in  American  gardens  than  it  deserves.  As  easily 
grown  as  any  member  of  the  cabbage  family,  it  yields  in  its 
swollen,  fleshy  stem  a  most  palatable  dish,  which 
combines  the  cabbage  and  turnip  flavors,  but  in 
a  more  refined  degree.  It  is'deliciously  tender, 
especially  when  used  just  when  fully  grown; 
but  when  old,  becomes  hard,  tough  and  unfit  for 
the  table.  The  usual,  method  of  culture  is  to 
sow  seed  in  drills,  15  or  18  inches  apart,  and 

thin  to  6  or  8  inches  in  the  row.     The  time  for      ^  , ,  „  ,. 
-  ..  Konl-Rabi. 

sowing  is  from  early  spring  until  summer,  so 

that  a  succession  may  be  had  from  early  summer  until  winter. 
Keep  the  ground  loose  and  free  from  weeds.  With  careful 
handling,  kohl-rabi  can  also  be  transplanted  successfully. 

VARIETIES. 

Early  Vienna,  Improved  Imperial. — This,  unquestion- 
ably, is  the  best  for  forcing,  late  planting,  and  for  general  table 
use.  The  tops  are  very  small  and  leaves  short,  with  slim  stalks ; 
the  balls  (bulbs,  heads  or  whatever  we  may  call  them)  handsome, 
forming  very  early,  and  retaining  their  delicious  tenderness  for 
a  long  time.  There  is  also  a  purplish  variety  of  this  in  cultivation. 

Large  White. — The  balls  form  much  later  in  this  than  in 
the  preceding  and  grow  to  a  large  size.  The  leaves  also  grow 
large,  with  stout  leaf-stalks,  so  that  it  is  easily  distinguished  from 
the  Vienna  by  its  much  heavier  top.  Requires  nearly  the  whole 
season  to  come  to  full  development.  For  the  kitchen  garden  it 
will  be  found  a  good  companion  to  the  Vienna.  If  both  are 


2o6 — How  to  Make  the  Garden  Pay. 

planted  at  the  same  time,  in  early  spring,  the  one  will  supply  you 
with  tender  balls  in  the  forepart,  and  the  other  in  the  latter  part 
of  the  season. 

LAVENDER. 

Lavandula  Spica.  German,  Lavendel ;  French,  Lavande ; 
Spanish,  Espliego. — Lavender  leaves  are  sometimes  used  for 
seasoning,  but  the  chief  value  of  the  plant  is  in  its  flowers,  which 
are  used  in  the  manufacture  of  the  well-known  perfumery. 
"Grows  in  compact  tufts  with  numerous  stalks  two  feet  high. 
Perennial,  and  generally  propagated  by  division  of  the  tufts, 
sometimes  by  cuttings,  and  in  rarer  cases  from  seed.  Set  the 
plants  15  or  18  inches  apart,  and  keep  free  from  weeds.  They 
will  last  a  number  of  years,  succeeding  best  in  light  calcareous 
soil. 

LEEK. 

Allium  Porrum.  German,  Lauch ;  French,  Poire au ; 
Spanish,  Puerro. — Leek,  although  but  rarely  found  in  American 
home  gardens,  is  quite  extensively  cultivated  as  a  second  crop, 
to  follow  early  beets,  cabbages,  etc.,  in  the  market  gardens  near 

cities  having  a  large  for- 
eign population.  The 
ground  should  be  rich 
from  previous  manurings, 
and  receive  an  additional 
dressing  besides. 

CULTIVATION. — In  April 
or  early  May  sow  seed  in 
seed  bed,  having  rows  one 
foot  apart,  and  cultivating 
same  as  onions  from  seed. 
In  July,  the  young  plants, 
then  about  as  thick  as  a 
goose  quill,  are  planted 
out  on  soil  cleared  from 
the  earlier  crop  and  well 
prepared,  in  rows  one  foot 
apart,  with  five  inches  distance  between  the  plants.  They  should 
be  set  deeply  (with  a  dibber)  since  their  market  value  depends 
on  the  bleached  condition  of  the  root  and  stalk.  For  the  same 
reason,  the  soil,  in  hoeing,  is  drawn  up  towards  them.  Leeks 
transplant  very  easily  at  any  time  while  the  soil  is  moist,  but  the 
loose  roots  and  leaves  should  be  trimmed  back,  and  the  roots 
dipped  in  water,  previous  to  setting. 


Giant  Italian  Leek. 


Cultural  Directions. — 207 

The  crop  may  be  stored  and  wintered  somewhat  similar  to 
celery,  in  trenches  or  root-houses,  or  marketed  directly  from  the 
field  in  the  fall.  The  decayed  leaves  are  to  be  removed,  roots 
and  tops  cut  back,  and  the  plants,  after  washing,  tied  in  bunches 
of  half  a  dozen  or  more,  and  marketed. 

VARIETIES. 

Long  Flag,  Large  Flag,  Broad  Flag,  London  Flag. — 
Often  ten  inches  long,  and  nearly  two  inches  wide.  A  good 
early,  productive  sort,  and  popular  with  our  market  growers. 

Scotch  Flag,  Musselburgh. — A  form  of  the  common 
long  leek,  somewhat  hardier  than  the  Large  Flag,  and  with  a 
stem  sometimes  10  or  12  inches  long,  but  only  an  inch  in  diameter. 

New  Giant  Italian  is  introduced  as  a  variety  of  very  large 
size,  hardy,  and  of  mild  flavor.  Perhaps  identical  with  the 
Giant  Carentan  introduced  in  England. 

LETTUCE. 

Lactuca  Sativa.  German,  Salat ;  French,  Laitue  ;  Spanish, 
LecJuiga. — The  production  of  lettuce  in  hot-beds  and  hot-houses 
during  winter,  and  in  cold-frames  and  cold-houses  in  early  spring, 
is  one  of  the  chief  resources  for  money  for  a  large  number  of 
market  gardeners.  The  chapters  on  "  Cold  Frames  "  and  "  Cold 
Forcing  Houses  "  deal  more  fully  with  this  subject.  As  an  early 
market  garden  crop  for  outdoor  culture  it  is,  perhaps,  of  still 
greater  general  importance. 

GROWING  FOR -MARKET. — Plants  are  usually  grown  from 
seed  sown  in  open  ground  in  latter  part  of  September,  trans- 
planted into  cold-frames  (allowing  4  to  5  square  inches  space  to 
each)  toward  end  of  October  or  early  November,  and  wintered 
over  in  same  way  as  early  cabbage  plants.  Just  as  soon  as  the 
ground  is  in  working  order  in  early  spring,  the  plants  are  set 
out  in  warm,  rich,  well-manured  and  well-prepared  soil,  12  by  10 
to  12  inches  apart,  all  by  themselves,  or  in  rows  between  early 
cabbages  or  cauliflowers.  The  latter  plan  is  often  adopted  by 
good  market  gardeners  for  the  sake  of  utilizing  space.  The 
lettuce  crop  comes  off  in  time  to  give  to  the  other  crop  the  entire 
space,  long  before  it  is  needed,  and  for  this  reason  is  almost  clear 
gain.  To  a  more  limited  extent  lettuce  is  also  grown  for  summer 
and  fall  market  from  seed  sown  in  one  foot  drills  in  open  ground ; 
the  drills  one  foot  apart,  and  the  plants  thinned  to  about  the 
same  distance. 

In  favored  localities  in  the  middle  states,  and  almost  every- 
where further  south,  lettuce  sown  or  planted  out  in  open  ground 
in  the  autumn  will  usually  winter  all  right,  especially  if  protected 
(when  thought  necessary)  by  lightly  covering  with  evergreen 


2o8 — How  to  Make  the  Garden  Pay. 

boughs,  or  coarse  litter,  and  will  give  a  crop  much  in  advance 
of  that  planted  out  in  spring.  It  should  go  without  saying  that 
the  stimulus  given  to  plant  growth  by  free  use  of  the  hoes 
cannot  be  safely  dispensed  with  in  the  lettuce  patch. 

GROWING  FOR  HOME  USE. — People  who  know  lettuce  only 
as  loose  leaves  (cut-lettuce,  leaf-lettuce)  grown  in  close  rows  or 
masses,  as  usually  found  in  American  kitchen  gardens,  have  not 
yet  learned  to  appreciate  the  possibilities  of  this  vegetable  as 
salad  material,  nor  all  its  inherent  virtues.  My  method  of 
growing  it  for  home  use  brings  out  all  its  best  points. 

At  the  earliest  possible  date  in  spring  I  sow  seed  of  various 
varieties  in  drills  12  to  15  inches  apart,  and  give  clean  and 
thorough  cultivation  from  the  start  by  means  of  the  hand  wheel- 
hoe,  same  as  all  the  other  closely  planted  vegetables  in  the  patch. 


Hanson. 

Strict  attention  is  given  to  early  thinning,  the  most  vigorous  plants 
being  left,  so  they  stand  about  3  or  4  inches  apart  in  the  drills. 
Rapid  growth  is  forced  by  occasional  light  dressings  of  nitrate 
of  soda  (a  little  saltpetre  will  give  similar  results);  and  as  soon 
as  the  heads  have  fairly  begun  to  form,  we  commence  using  them 
for  the  table,  thinning  the  plants  as  we  go  along,  until  they  stand 
10  or  12  inches  apart  in  the  rows.  By  this  time  they  have 
developed  into  large  heads,  sometimes  of  mammoth  size,  and  of 
the  delicious  crispness  and  tenderness  which  only  rapid  growth 
can  give  us.  Thus  we  have  always  the  very  best  quality  of 
salad,  the  little  partly-developed  heads  at  first,  and  later  the  hard, 
solid,  large  ones.  As  we  always  have  it  in  great  abundance,  the 
crisp  inner  hearts  alone  are  used,  and  the  large  outer  leaves  go 
to  the  fowls.  Thus  grown,  lettuce  makes  a  most  excellent  salad, 
indeed,  above  all  comparison  with  the  stuff  usually  found  in  the 
markets,  or  in  most  people's  kitchen  garden.  Repeated  sowings 
should  be  made  for  succession. 


Cultural  Directions. — 209 

For  earliest  use  I  often  set  a  row  of  cold-frame-wintered  (or 
hot-bed-grown)  plants  between  two  rows  sown  with  early 
cabbages,  which  is  merely  a  modification  of  the  method  of  grow- 
ing lettuce  for  early  market  in  alternate  rows  with  cabbages. 

VARIETIES. 

These  are  exceedingly  numerous ;  and  many  new  varieties, 
both  for  market  and  home  use,  are  being  introduced  every  year. 
Indeed  we  have  so  many  really  good  sorts  that  the  selection  of  a 
few  is  not  without  difficulty.  Yet  we  can  take  any  one  out  of 
dozens  of  them,  and  feel  perfectly  satisfied  with  our  bargain. 

Tennisball9  Boston  Market. 
— Well  adapted  for  forcing  under 
glass ;  very  early,  of  medium  size, 
and  a  reliable  header. 

Salamander. — A  favorite  with 
eastern  market  gardeners,  and  yet 
in  the  front  rank  as  a  market 


Green  Fringed  Salamander. 

variety,  as  it  makes 
large  and  firm  heads, 
and  endures  the  sum- 
mer heat  well,  although 
in  the  latter  respect 
it  is  now  surpassed 
by  many  newer  intro- 
ductions. 

Hanson. — An     old 
favorite  for  market  in 
the     New      England 
States.  A  good,  reliable 
header,     but     perhaps 
surpassed    in    many 
characteristics  by  the  recently  introduced  Improved  Hanson. 
Boston  Curled  and 

Green  Fringed. — These  form  somewhat  loose  heads,  and 
therefore  not  adapted  for  market  purposes ;  but  their  curled  or 
fringed  masses  of  foliage  make  them  attractive  for  the  home  garden. 
Buttercup. — The  most  delicate  appearing  of  any  lettuce  I 
am  acquainted  with.  Only  medium  in  size,  but  the  heads  are 
firm,  and  foliage  of  a  most  pleasing  beautiful  golden  color,  which 
would  naturally  suggest  the  name  given  it.  It  is  one  of  the 
varieties  that  has  come  to  stay  in  my  garden. 

Ohio  Cabbage. — A  beautiful  summer  lettuce,  of  very  large 
size,  firm  head,  tender  and  reliable.     Also  good  for  early. 


Ohio  Cabbage. 


2io — How  to  Make  the  Garden  Pay. 

California  Butter. — A  long-standing  summer  variety, 
making  large,  firm  heads  with  dark  foliage. 

Marblehead  Mammoth, 

New  York. — Those  two  are  newer  sorts  of  remarkable  thrift, 
giving  us  heads  of  the  very  largest  size,  but  somewhat  lacking  in 
compactness.  Beautiful  and  well  worthy  a  place  in  the  home  garden. 

Stubborn-Head,  Stubborn-Seeder. — Introduced  as  a  fine, 
firm-heading  variety,  able  to  endure  the  summer  heat  and  drouth 
for  a  long  time,  and  without  running  to  seed. 

Prize  Head. — Forms  a  large,  tender  and  crisp  mass  of 
leaves  of  superior  flavor. 

Passion. — A  California  variety  that  stands  the  heat  remark- 
ably well,  and  at  the  same  time  forms  a  very  large  solid  head. 


Philadelphia  Butter. — Produces  fine  heads  of  large  size ; 
very  certain  to  head. 

Cos  Varieties.— These  are  favorites  in  England,  but  little 
grown  in  our  gardens.  Leaves  elongated,  with  a  large  thick 
mid-rib.  The  hearts  are  blanched  by  tying  the  tips  of  the  leaves, 
which  have  an  upright  habit  of  growth. 

MARJORAM  (Sweet.) 

Origanum  Majorana.  German,  Majoran  ; 
French,  Marjolaine  ;  Spanish,  Mejorana, — The 
leaves  and  young  shoots  of  this  perennial 
sweet  herb  are  highly  esteemed  by  many 
people  as  a  seasoning,  and  Mother's  marjoram- 
flavored  "veal  pot-pie"  will  not  easily  fade 
out  of  my  memory.  The  plant  is  cultivated 
as  an  annual,  and  of  easy  culture.  Early  in 
spring,  sow  seed  in  shallow  drills,  one  foot 
Sweet  Marjoram.  apart,  and  keep  free  from  weeds. 


Cultural  Directions. — 211 


MARTYNIA. 

Marty nia  proboscidea.  German,  Gemshorner;  French,  Mar- 
tynia;  English,  Unicorn  Plant. — An  annual  of  easiest  culture; 
plant  large,  strong-growing 
rather  coarse,  yet  decidedly 
interesting.  Flowers  large 
and  similar  to  catalpa  in 
shape;  fruit  curved,  and  ter- 
minating in  a  long,  hooked 
point.  While  young  and 
tender  it  is  frequently  used 
for  pickles.  Sow  seed  where 
plant  is  to  grow,  giving  each  a  space  of  2  or  3  feet  square.  If 
seed  is  allowed  to  ripen  on  the  plant,  and  to  scatter  upon  the 
ground,  plenty  of  plants  may  be  expected  to  spring  up  the 
following  season. 

MELON— MUSK. 

Cucumis  Melo.  German,  Me  lone  ;  French  and  Spanish,  Melon. 
— Where  climatic  conditions  in  the  northern  states,  and  shipping 
and  marketing  facilities  at  the  south  are  favorable  to  their  cul- 
ture, melons  constitute  a  very  important  money  crop  of  the  farm 
garden.  For  the  home  garden  they  are  almost  indispensable 
everywhere.  I  believe  there  are  few  things,  if  any,  that  are  a 
more  general  object  of  desire  for  the  younger  members  of  the 
family,  or  would  be  more  painfully  missed  by  them,  than  a  good 
supply  of  fine  melons ;  and  I  am  sure  no  household  that  has 
once  had  its  fill  of  the  fruit,  in  all  its  freshness  and  lusciousness 
as  it  comes  directly  from  the  garden,  will  ever  wish  to  forego 
the  pleasures  of  the  melon  patch  again,  even  for  a  single  season. 

SOIL  AND  CULTURE. — A  rich,  warm  loam,  more  or  less  sandy, 
and  plenty  of  good  compost  or  fertilizers  are  required.  New  land 
— on  the  wide  rotation  system — is  always  preferable,  in  order  to 
reduce  the  dangers  from  insect  and  disease  attacks  to  a  minimum, 
^nd  nothing  better  could  be  found  very  easily  than  a  young 
clover  or  old  pasture  lot.  Plow  deep,  and  otherwise  prepare  the 
ground  well,  then  mark  off  rows  from  4  to  6  feet  apart  each  way, 
according  to  the  strength  of  the  soil,  and  vigor  of  variety  to  be 
planted.  A  shovelful  or  two  of  well-rotted  compost  is  mixed 
with  the  soil  at  each  intersection,  and  a  large  broad  hill  formed 
with  the  hoe. 

Next  drop  a  dozen  or  two  of  seeds  scatteringly  over  the  hill, 
and  cover  with  half  an  inch  of  soil,  pressing  it  firmly  over  the 
seed  with  the  back  of  hoe.  Only  the  three  or  four  thriftiest 
plants  are  left  in  each  hill;  the  rest  must  be  pulled  up  at  the 


212 — How  to  Make  the  Garden  Pay. 


first  or  second  hoeing.  Cultivate  frequently  with  the  horse 
wheel-hoe,  and  hoe  afterwards,  drawing  fresh  soil  up  to  the  plants. 
Guard  against  the  attacks  of  the  yellow-striped  cucumber  bug, 
the  squash  borer  and  other  insects ;  and  keep  free  from  weeds. 

I  usually  pinch  off  the  ends  of 
leading  shoots  when  they  have 
grown  several  feet  in  length,  for 
the  purpose  of  forcing  out  the 
laterals,  on  which  the  fruit  is  always 
borne.  In  early  September  I  also 
remove  the  later  settings  of  fruit, 
which  cannot  be  expected  to  come 
to  maturity  before  frost.  For  ship- 
ping and  marketing,  melons  must 
be  picked  when  yet  green,  but  fully 
matured,  so  that  they  will  be  in 
best  condition  for  the  table  when 
they  reach  the  consumer.  In  order 
to  make  the  crop  earlier,  and  at  the 
same  time  protect  the  plants  from  bug  attacks,  they  are  fre- 
quently started  on  pieces  of  inverted  sod,  in  hot-bed  or  cold- 
Irame,  in  the  same  way  as  described  for  Lima  beans.  Care 
should  be  taken  to  make  the  transfer  from  frame  to  open  ground 
on  moist,  cloudy  days  only;  then  cultivate  same  as  directed  for 
plants  started  in  open  ground. 


Perfection. 


VARIETIES. 

Hackensack. — The   most    popular    market     sort    among 
growers  near  New  York  City  and 
in  New  Jersey.     Large,  round  ; 
depressed   at  the   ends ;    deeply 
netted  and  productive. 

Cassaba.— A  large,  long, 
green-fleshed  melon  of  same 
excellent  quality  as  Nutmeg. 
Can  be  recommended  for  market, 
as  well  as  the  home  garden. 

Nutmeg. — Green-fleshed,  of 
delicious  flavor.  Size  medium; 
round  in  shape;  prolific;  good 
for  market  and  home  use. 

Early  Christiania. — Very 
early,  of  fair  size;  productive, 
and  valuable  for  early  market. 

Netted  Gem. — Quite  small,  thick-meated,  of  fine  flavor, 
and  extremely  early. 


Cultural  Directions. — 213 

Perfection. — Nearly  round,  and  of  good  size,  frequently 
weighing  8  to  10  pounds.  Of  a  dark  green  color  outside,  heavily 
netted,  while  inside  they  are  of  a  rich  orange  color.  Flesh  very 
thick,  there  being  scarcely  room  for  the  seed.  Can  be  recom- 
mended alike  for  either  home  or  market  use. 

Starn's  Favorite. — This  variety  is  nearly  round,  just  a  little 
oblong,  thickly  netted,  with  thick  green  flesh ;  rich  and  spicy 
and  one  of  the  best- flavored  in  cultivation.  They  are  shy 
seeders ;  the  cavity  for  seed  in  many  of  them  is  so  small  that  if 
they  were  all  seed  inside  the  flesh,  they  could  not  contain  many. 


if 
I 


Jenny  Lind. — It  is  surprising  that  this,  a 
most  delicious  small  melon,  is  so  little  known 
outside  ot  the  State  of  New  Jersey.  There  it  is 
more  largely  grown  than  any  other,  and  thou- 
sands upon  thousands  of  baskets  are  annually 
shipped  to  the  Philadelphia  and  New  York  mar- 
kets. It  is  the  earliest  of  all  green-fleshed  sorts. 

Superior. — Ripens  about  the  same  time  as 
the  Jenny  Lind,  a  strong  and  vigorous  grower. 
So  attractive  in  appearance  that  it  is  sure  to 
command  good  prices. 

Emerald  Gem. — Plant  and  fruit  small. 
The  latter  has  a  smooth,  deep-green  skin  and 
salmon-colored  flesh,  unsurpassed  for  sweetness, 
richness,  and  lusciousness.  Almost  solid,  con- 
taining but  few  seeds,  and  ripening  thoroughly 
clear  to  the  thin  skin.  When  ripe  it  separates 
from  the  stem ;  but  being  of  inconspicuous  color,  and  inferior 
size,  the  "  small  boy  "  is  apt  to  pass  it  by.  This  feature,  com- 
bined with  its  unexcelled  high  quality  and  sweetness,  renders  it 
indispensable  for  the  home  garden.  The  markets  also  are  just 


Banana. 


214 — How  to  Make  the  Garden  Pay. 

beginning  to  appreciate  its  fine  qualities.  It  can  be  planted  in 
hills  only  3  or  4  feet  apart  each  way,  two  or  three  plants  to  the 
hill. 

Bay  View. — A  white-fleshed,  oblong  variety,  with  green, 
netted  skin.  Medium  sized. 

Montreal,  Montreal  Nutmeg. — A  mammoth  variety,  much 
grown  under  glass  at  the  northeast.  I  did  not  find  it  of  much 

value  for  outdoor  culture  in  New 
Jersey. 

Osage. — A  Western  market 
sort ;  green  fleshed,  small,  round, 
netted. 

Banana. — Grows  18  inches  and 
upward  in  length,  and  only  2  to  4 
inches  in  thickness.  Flesh  thick, 
solid,  reminding  somewhat  of 
bananas. 

Hardy  Ridge.  Algerian    Canteloupe.— Flesh 

thick  and  juicy,  sweet  and  having  a  delicate  aroma.  Fruit 
round,  slightly  elongated,  with  many  roundish  dark  green  warts 
or  scabs,  which  change  to  an  orange  color  when  fruit  is  ripe. 

Prescott,  Hardy  Ridge. — Thick  fleshed,  salmon  colored  ;  few 
seeds.  This  and  the  preceding  are  favorites  with  Paris  (France) 
growers.  Not  grown  to  any  extent  in  America,  except  as  curiosity. 

MELON— WATER. 

Citrullus  Vulgaris  (Cucumis  Citrullus).  German,  Wasser- 
melone ;  French,  Melon  deau;  Spanish,  Sandia. — Culture  of  the 
water-melon  is  very  similar  to  that  of  the  musk  varieties,  except 


that  the  soil,  if  anything,  should  be  warmer  and  richer,  and  the 
hills  made  from  six  to  ten  feet  apart  each  way,  according  to  vigor 
of  variety  and  strength  of  soil. 


Cultural  Directions. — 215 

The  chief  difficulty  for  the  novice  is  to  tell  when  the  melons 
are  fit  for  market  or  consumption,  as  they  should  not  be  picked 
too  soon,  nor  left  on  the  vines  after  the  proper  stage  of  maturity 
has  been  reached.  The  tendril  or  curl  on  the  vine  opposite  the 


melon  generally  dries  up  and  dies  just  about  at  the  time  when 
the  melon  ripens ;  but  this  is  not  always  the  case,  and  hence  the 
sign  is  not  infallible.  A  safer  indication  even  than  this  is  the 
turning  of  the  whitish  underside  of  the  fruit  (where  it  rests  upon 


the  ground)  to  a  sort  of  cream  color.  Experienced  growers  and 
dealers  simply  snap  the  melon  with  the  middle  finger,  and  tell  the 
ripe  from  the  immature  melon  by  the  difference  of  sound.  The 
skin  of  the  melon  also  becomes  somewhat  duller  in  color  when 


2i6 — How  to  Make  the  Garden  Pay. 

approaching  maturity,  and  somewhat  firmer.  The  novice  should 
compare  ripe  and  green  specimens,  and  try  to  note  all  these 
differences. 

VARIETIES. 

Mountain  Sweet, 

Mountain  Sprout, 

Black  Spanish. — In  these 
we  have  three  old,  but  reliable 
sorts,  still  much  grown  for  market. 
They  are  large,  sweet  and  good. 

Vick's  Early. — A  small, 
early,  solid  melon,  valuable  for 
the  home  garden. 

Kolb's  Gem. — 
Much  grown  for  market 
on  account  of  its  earli- 
ness.  Nearly  round, 
flesh  bright  red. 

Scaly  Bark  (Flor- 
ida Favorite), 

Seminole, 

Georgia  Rattle- 
snake, 

Pride  of   Georgia, 

Cuban  Queen, 

Gray  Monarch, 

Mammoth   Ironclad.— All  these  are  large  melons,  exten- 
sively grown  at  the  south  for  northern  market. 


Colorado  Preserving. 


Hungarian. — Introduced  a  few  years  ago  as  a  superior 
sort  for  the  home  garden.  Medium  size ;  skin  dark  green  ;  flesh 
sweet,  melting,  brilliant  red.  Vine  strong  grower,  productive. 


Cultural  Directions. — 217 

Volga. — After  two  seasons'  trial  I  am  disposed  to  place  this 
ahead  even  of  the  preceding  as  a  reliable  sort  for  the  home 
gardener.  Distinguished  by  the  light  color  of  its  rind.  A 
thrifty  grower,  enormously  prolific,  early,  of  medium  size,  and  to 
my  taste  unsurpassed  in  quality.  If  I  could  plant  but  one  variety 
in  the  home  garden,  this  is  the  one  I  would  unhesitatingly 
select. 

Prize  Jumbo. — This  new  melon  is  a  cross  between  the 
Ironclad  and  Cuban  Queen.  In  color  dark-green,  striped  with 
lighter  shades  of  the  same  color ;  flesh  of  a  rich  cardinal  color, 


Prize  Jumbo. 


free  from  strings.  The  rind,  while  unusually  thin  for  so  large  a 
melon,  is  so  tough  it  will  bear  transportation  in  first-class  condi- 
tion for  very  long  distances. 

Green  and  Gold. — Name  comes  from  its  rich  green  color 
outside,  while  the  flesh  is  of  a  golden  orange  color,  free  from  any 
tinge  of  white,  even  around  the  seeds.  In  productiveness  it 
equals  any  of  the  red-flesh  varieties ;  has  a  thin  rind.  It  makes 
a  desirable  ornament  for  the  table,  if  arranged  in  contrast  with 
the  red  flesh  of  other  varieties. 

Christmas. — None  surpasses  this  in  vigor  of  vine.  Fruit 
late,  large,  and  of  most  remarkable  keeping  qualities.  I  had 
them  last  season  in  December,  kept  in  a  common  cool  room 
upstairs,  and  they  were  sound  and  palatable. 

Colorado  Preserving. — A  productive  sort  for  preserving 
and  sauce.  Flesh  firm  and  solid ;  seeds  few ;  vine  thrifty. 


2i8 — How  to  Make  the  Garden  Pay. 


MINT. 

Mentha  viridis.  German,  Krauseminze  ;  French,  Menthe. — 
A  hardy  perennial,  often  found  in  great  masses  along  moist  road- 
sides, near  swamps  and  low  places.  Easily  propagated  by 
division  of  the  creeping  root-stock.  In  a  small  way  it  is  forced 
under  glass,  for  winter  and  spring  market,  and  the  growers  find 
it  very  profitable.  The  leaves  and  young  shoots  are  used  for 
seasoning,  mint  sauce,  and  for  flavoring  liquors. 

MUSHROOM. 

Agaricus  campestris.  German,  Champignon;  French, 
Champignon  ;  Spanish,  Seta. — The  very  first  and  most  important 
requirement  for  the  successful  production  of  mushrooms  is  a 
dark,  damp  place  with  an  even  temperature  ranging  from  50  to 
70  degrees.  This  may  be  a  common  cellar,  a  cave,  railroad  or 
other  tunnel,  under  the  greenhouse  benches,  or  in  a  building 
constructed  or  arranged  for  the  purposes  and  heated  with  pipes. 

In  proper  situation  mush- 
rooms can  be  raised  the  year 
around,  and  it  is  done  on  a 
large  scale  in  natural  caves  or 
abandoned  tunnels  in  this 
and  other  countries.  One  of 
these  mammoth  mushroom 
factories  is  said  to  be  in 
Mushroom  Spawn.  successful  operation  near 

Chicago,  run  by  a  stock  company ;  and  more  chances  equally 
good  for  starting  an  enterprise  of  this  kind  might  be  found  in 
various  parts  of  the  country.  It  is  reported  to  be  a  paying 
business. 

For  culture  in  a  common  cellar  or  other  place,  on  a  limited 
scale,  the  best  time  for  active  operations  is  from  the  beginning 
of  September  until  January.  Take  fresh  horse  droppings  without 
long  straw  or  litter,  and  mix  it  with  one-third  of  its  bulk  of  fresh 
loam,  or  finely  cut-up  sods  from  an  old  pasture,  and  put  in  a  heap 
to  heat  Turn  frequently  (perhaps  once  a  day)  until  the  first 
violent  heat  has  nearly  subsided.  Then  spread  a  layer  of  it, 
four  feet  wide  and  as  long  as  desired,  upon  the  place  intended 
for  the  bed.  This  may  be  on  the  ground  or  on  shelves.  Beat 
the  layer  down  firmly  with  a  wooden  mallet,  or  other  convenient 
implement ;  spread  another  layer  of  the  manure  mixture  upon 
the  first,  and  beat  down  solidly  once  more,  repeating  this, 
if  necessary,  so  the  bed,  when  finished,  will  be  about  8  or  lo 
inches  in  thickness. 


Cultural  Directions. — 219 

Now  insert  a  thermometer  in  the  centre  of  the  mass,  and 
again  allow  the  first  violent  heat  to  subside.  When  the  tempera- 
ture has  been  reduced  to  85  or  90  degrees,  the  bed  is  ready  for 
planting  the  spawn. 

Break  the  bricks  of  spawn  into  pieces  of  the  size  of  a  small 
egg;  then  make  holes  2  inches  deep,  and  10  or  12  inches  apart 
each  way,  all  over  the  bed,  and  drop  a  large  piece,  or  two  smaller 
ones,  into  each,  afterwards  filling  the  holes  with  the  manure 
mixture,  and  again  beat  the  beds  down  smoothly  and  evenly. 
Then  cover  the  whole  with  two  inches  of  fine  loam  firming  it 
with  the  back  of  spade  or  shovel. 

In  a  dark  cellar  and  even  temperature  of  from  55  to  60 
degrees  the  mushrooms  will  appear  in  from  5  to  8  weeks. 
If  the  cellar  is  rather  light,  the  bed  had  better  be  covered  with 
6  inches  of  hay  or  straw.  In  a  reasonably  damp  cellar  watering 
will  not  be  necessary ;  but  in  a  dry  one  warm  water  should 
occasionally  be  sprinkled  over  the  bed  with  a  fine  rose  sprinkler. 
A  little  nitrate  of  soda,  or  saltpetre,  dissolved  in  the  water  will, 
I  think,  be  found  of  great  advantage  in  lengthening  the  bearing 
period  of  the  bed.  The  spawn  can  be  obtained  of  any  large 
seed  house. 

MUSTARD     (White  Mustard.) 

Sinapis  Alba.  German,  Gelber  Senf ;  French,  Moutarde 
blanche  ;  Spanish,  Mostaza  blanca. — Annual  of  rapid  growth  and 
easiest  culture.  The  leaves  while  young  are  used  for  salads  and 
for  garnishing,  and  are  of  pleasant  pungency.  Sow  seed  in  drills 
one  foot  apart,  and  keep  free  from  weeds. 
The  ripe  seed  is  variously  used  in  the  prep- 
aration of  pickles,  and  when  ground  makes 
the  chief  ingredient  in  the  well-known  condi- 
ment on  sale  in  groceries  under  the  name 
"  Mustard."  Some  years  ago  I  saw  a  variety 
of  mustard  in  the  south,  where  it  was  grown 
under  the  name  "  Curled  mustard  "  for  greens 
and  for  salad.  Each  plant  formed  a  great 
mass  of  beautifully  curled  leaves,  and  I  grew  it  for  two  seasons, 
then  accidentally  lost  the  seed,  and  have  not  been  able  to  find  a 
new  supply.  Probably  this  is  a  sport  or  selection  of  the  Chinese 
Cabbage-Leaved  mustard. 

NASTURTIUM.     (Indian  Cress)    Dwarf. 

Tropaolum  Minus.  German,  Kapuziner  Kresse ;  French, 
Capucine  petite  ;  Spanish,  Capuchina  pequena. — Annual  of  easy 
culture,  and  like  the  climbing  form  (T.  Majus)  more  frequently 
found  in  the  flower  garden  and  border  than  in  the  kitchen 


Nasturtium. 


Okra. 


220 — How  to  Make  the  Garden  Pay. 

garden.  The  flowers  of  both  forms  are  sometimes  used  for 
garnishing,  and  the  young  seed  pods,  pickled  in  vinegar,  for 
seasoning.  Sow  seed  in  border,  or  in  rows  one  foot  apart, 
thinning  to  4  or  6  inches  apart  in  the  rows. 

OKRA. 

Hibiscus  esciilentus.  French,  Gombaud ;  Spanish,  Gombo 
(Quimbombo). — The  plant  succeeds  in  almost  any  soil,  being  an 

annual    of    easy     culture. 

Little  grown  in  the  north, 

but   quite   popular   in   the 

southern  states,  where  the 

young    and     tender     seed 

vessels  are  used  as  a  table 

vegetable,  in  the   form    of 

soups  and  stews,  to  quite 

an  extent.    These  pods  are 

apt     to     grow     somewhat 

tough  at  the  North.     Sow 

seed  in   rows  2^/2    to   3^ 

feet    apart,    and     thin     to 
9  or  12  inches  apart  in  the  row.     Cultivate  same  as  corn. 

VARIETIES. 

Dwarf  Green,  Improved  Dwarf  Green. — An  early  and 
productive  sort  of  low  growth. 

Long  Green. — Plant  dwarf;  pods  long  and  ridged. 

White  Velvet. — Introduced  as  having  very  large,  round 
smooth  pods.  Very  productive. 

ONION. 

AlliumCepa.  German,  Zwiebel ;  French  Oignon  ;  Spanish, 
Cipolla. — Onion  growing  presents  itself  to  our  consideration  in 
three  materially-differing  aspects,  namely,  culture  in  the  market 
garden,  culture  in  the  farm  garden,  and  culture  in  the  kitchen 
garden.  This  vegetable,  as  a  crop,  is  of  value  to  the  market 
gardener  chiefly  in  the  role  of  "  bunch  onions,"  /.  *.,  grown  from 
sets,  pulled  and  bunched  in  the  green  state  when  only  partly 
developed,  and  thus  put  on  the  market.  The  sets,  like  mature 
onions  for  market,  are  chiefly  grown  by  people  who  make  it  a 
specialty,  and  in  farm  gardens  more  remote  from  the  larger 
market  centers.  Some  of  our  market  gardeners,  however — 
probably  induced  by  the  high  price  which  they  are  often  com- 
pelled to  pay  for  sets—,  now  grow  not  only  enough  to  supply  their 
own  needs,  but  a  surplus  for  market  besides. 


Cultural  Directions. — 221 

GROWING  SETS. — The  selection  of  soil  is  of  greatest  import- 
ance. It  should  be  of  a  sandy  nature,  or  even  clear  sand,  free 
from  weed  seeds,  rubbish  and  coarse  gravel,  and  at  least 
moderately  fertile.  A  good  top-dressing  of  some  good  fertilizer 
may  be  sufficient.  Weedy  manure  must  be  scrupulously  avoided. 
Such  land  needs  thorough  preparation.  After  plowing,  the 
harrow  and  roller  should  not  be  spared,  and  the  Meeker  small 
disk  harrow,  or  a  steel  rake,  is  needed  to  put  on  the  finish.  What 
we  want  is  a  perfect,  smooth,  mellow  seed-bed.  The  seed  is 
sown  thickly  in  rows,  either  by  hand  or  with  the  drill.  The  rows 
may  either  be  made  9  to  12  inches  apart,  and  sown  in  the  usual 
way,  only  more  thickly,  or  from  15  to  2O  inches  apart,  and  sown 
scatteringly  in  a  strip  2  or  3  inches  in  width.  I  prefer  the  drills 
12  inches  apart,  and  to  sow  in  a  strip  of  about  i}£  inches  in 
width,  which  allows  of  the  convenient  use  of  the  wheel-hoe. 

SOWING. — The  easiest  method  of  sowing  onion  seed  for  sets 
is  with  one  of  the  common  garden  drills,  and  in  doing  so,  I 
usually  let  the  seed  run  moderately  free,  and  go  twice  or  even 
three  times  over  the  same  row,  thus  sowing  the  required  quantity, 
and  at  the  same  time  spreading  it  over  the  desired  width  in  each 
row.  To  give  a  full  crop,  the  plants  have  to  stand  pretty  thick. 
It  is  always  an  advantage  to  roll  the  ground  after  sowing. 

For  sowing  by  hand,  the  rows  should  be  marked  out  with  a 
marker  having  wide  blunt  teeth,  in  order  to  make  wide  marks, 
and  allow  the  seed  to  be  scattered  over  a  wider  space  across  the 
rows.  The  covering  is  done  with  both  hands,  the  gardener 
moving  along  over  the  rows  on  his  knees,  and  drawing  the  soil 
over  the  row  from  both  sides,  or  with  the  feet  in  the  way  quite 
commonly  practiced  for  covering  the  larger  seeds. 

The  amount  of  seed  needed  ranges  between  40  and  60  pounds 
per  acre,  according  to  distance  between  the  rows,  and  width 
of  sowing.  The  aim  is  to  grow  bulbs  of  less  than  y2  inch  in 
diameter,  and  the  largest  bulk  without  undue  crowding.  The 
varieties  used  for  this  purpose  are  Extra  Early  Red,  Yellow 
Dutch,  and  Silver  Skin. 

CULTIVATION  AND  HARVESTING. — Cultivation  is  given  in  the 
usual  way,  with  wheel-hoe ;  and  weeds  are  pulled  up  by  hand 
without  thinning  the  crop. 

When  the  tops  begin  to  die  down,  in  August,  the  bulbs  are 
harvested,  either  by  lifting  out  with  the  onion  set  attachment  of 
the  Planet  Jr.  wheel-hoe,  or  by  raking  in  windrows,  5  or  6 
ows  together,  care  being  taken,  of  course,  to  get  the  teeth  well 
under  the  bulbs.  They  are  left  on  the  ground  for  2  or  3  days 
to  cure,  and  then  taken  under  shelter,  and  spread  out  on  a  dry 
floor  to  be  cleaned  at  leisure.  This  is  done  by  rubbing  the  sets 
between  the  hands,  to  remove  remnants  of  tops  and  roots,  and 
adhering  soil  or  sand,  and  by  running  through  fanning  mill 


222 — How  to  Make  the  Garden  Pay. 

afterwards.  All  bulbs  that  will  not  readily  pass  through  a  grain 
sieve  with  ^-inch  meshes  are  too  large  for  sets  and  should  be 
sold  or  used  for  pickling  onions. 

Another  method  of  harvesting  consists  of  running  a  large 
garden  trowel  lengthwise  under  the  row,  lifting  up  the  bulbs,  with 
soil  adhering  to  them,  and  throwing  into  a  small-meshed  sieve 
to  sift  out  the  sand  and  soil. 

STORING. — In  storing  for  winter  the  bulbs  (sometimes  mixed 
with  chaff)  are  piled  up  4  or  5  inches  deep  in  a  dry  loft,  there 
allowed  to  freeze,  and  covered  with  a  foot  or  so  of  straw  or  hay 
until  spring.  Or  they  may  be  stored  in  shallow  open  crates,  and 
protected  from  alternate  freezing  and  thawing. 

GROWING  BUNCH  ONIONS. — The  ground  should  be  put  in 
best  possible  condition.  Use  50  or  more  tons  of  good  compost 
per  acre,  besides  top-dressings  of  poultry  manure,  wood  ashes, 
fertilizers,  etc.,  not  to  forget  of  nitrate  of  soda.  The  same 
thorough  preparation  is  required  as  for  growing  sets.  Then 
mark  out  the  ground  in  rows  9  to  12  inches  apart,  and  plant  the 
sets  2  or  3  inches  apart  in  the  rows.  This  is  best  done  by  pick- 
ing up  the  set  between  thumb  and  forefinger,  top  up,  and  press 
firmly  down  into  the  soil.  Thus  they  can  be  planted  quite  rapidly. 
Then  cover  still  more  soil  over  them  with  the  feet,  firming  at 
the  same  time,  and  roll.  Afterwards  keep  the  ground  loose  and 
free  from  weeds  by  the  frequent  use  of  wheel  and  hand  hoes,  and 
at  earliest  date  commence  to  bunch  and  market.  While  small, 
a  dozen  bulbs  may  be  required  for  a  bunch ;  later  on  6  or  7  will 
be  sufficient. 

There  is  still  another  method  of  growing  early  bunch  onions, 
and  when  successful,  is  more  convenient,  and  often  more  profit- 
able than  the  one  described,  as  it  requires  less  labor  and  expense, 
and  gives  an  earlier  crop.  Seed  is  sown  during  August  or  Sep- 
tember (perhaps  later  at  the  South),  in  drills  one  foot  apart,  and 
at  the  rate  of  6  or  8  Ibs.  of  good  seed  per  acre.  At  the  north 
this  method  is  risky,  and  the  whole  crop  may  winter-kill ;  but 
even  in  an  exposed  situtation  in  Western  New  York,  I  have 
occasionally  succeeded  in  carrying  the  crop  through  without  any 
effort  at  protection,  and  without  loss.  Covering  with  evergreen 
boughs,  or  coarse  litter  may  be  a  wise  precaution.  In  the  middle 
and  southern  states  there  is  nothing,  to  my  knowledge,  that  could 
hinder  growing  bunch  onions  on  this  plan  with  complete  success. 

GROWING  THE  BULB  FOR  MARKET. — This,  as  a  business, 
sometimes  pays,  and  sometimes  it  does  not.  The  financial  out- 
come depends  on  management,  and  on  the  season's  prices.  Onion 
growing  in  the  farm  garden  can  easily  be  overdone.  Only  last 
year  thousands  of  barrels  of  as  fine  onions  as  were  ever  grown 
had  to  be  left  to  spoil,  or  were  fed  to  stock,  for  want  of  buyers  at 
even  25  or  30  cents  per  barrel. 


Cultural  Directions. — 223 

An  average  onion  crop  is  not  likely  to  ever  yield  big  returns, 
but  a  large  one  (the  result  of  plenty  of  manure  and  high  culture 
generally)  with  a  fair  market  price,  always  pays  the  grower 
reasonably  well.  The  premium  in  this,  as  in  all  other  under- 
takings, is  invariably  awarded  to  skillful  management. 

SOIL. — A  good  crop  can  be  produced  on  soil  of  almost  any 
composition  (sand,  sandy  loam,  clay  loam,  clay,  muck),  provided 
it  contains  a  fair  amount  of  decaying  organic  matter;  but  it 
should  be  free  from  weed  seeds.  Use  the  richest  soil  you  have  ; 
thin  soil  if  no  other  can  be  had  ;  and  sandy  loam  in  preference  to 
others.  Muck  lands  sometimes  produce  enormous  crops,  but  the 
bulbs  are  not  as  firm  as  those  grown  upland.  Land  in  fine  tilth, 
perhaps  having  been  cropped  with  carrots,  beets,  cabbages,  or 
other  vegetable  crops,  is  usually  given  the  preference,  and  justly 
so ;  but  a  young,  rich,  clean  clover  sod,  thoroughly  worked,  is 
seldom  less  profitable,  and  often  more  so,  than  old  ground. 

Manure  and  prepare  the  land  as  thoroughly  as  described  for 
the  production  of  bunch  onions,  being  particularly  careful  to 
avoid  manure  which  contains  live  weed  seeds,  for  the  greatest 
expense  connected  with  onion  growing  is  the  destruction  of  weeds. 

SOWING  SEED. — The  torrid  heat  and  prolonged  drought  of 
August  should  find  the  crop  ready  for  harvesting.  Consequently 
it  is  absolutely  necessary  for  best  success  to  sow  as  early  in  spring 
as  the  ground  can  be  got  in  working  order,  perhaps  by  the  help 
of  fall  plowing  and  laying  off  in  beds.  In  the  middle  and 
southern  states  fall  sowing  may  be  practicable,  and  should  at 
least  be  tested  in  every  locality  there.  Here  we  usually  sow  in 
April,  seldom  in  March. 

When  the  Meeker  disk-harrow  (or  the  steel-rake)  has  left  the 
ground  perfectly  smooth  .and  fine,  good,  plump,  water-cleaned 
seed,  that  stands  at  least  75  per  cent,  germination  test,  is  sown 
with  the  garden  drill  in  rows  1 2  inches  apart,  at  the  rate  of  four 
or  five  pounds  per  acre.  Most  growers  sow  further  apart,  16,  18, 
or  even  20  inches  ;  but  I  consider  this  a  useless  waste  of  space 
and  opportunity,  since  the  yield  per  row  will  be  the  same, 
whether  the  rows  are  12  or  20  inches  apart,  and  the  narrower 
planting,  with  no  greater  outlay  for  manure  and  tillage  (weeding 
excepted),  increases  the  crop  in  exact  proportion  to  the  increased 
number  of  rows.  The  style  of  wheel-hoe  to  be  used  perhaps 
influences  the  question  of  width  of  row  somewhat.  A  Ruhlman, 
going  between  the  rows,  works  to  best  advantage  when  the  rows 
are  14  or  16  inches  apart;  while  the  Planet  Jr.  (and  any  other 
row-straddler)  can  be  profitably  run  among  rows  that  are  only 
12  inches  apart.  The  roller  in  the  rear  of  the  distributing 
tube  and  hopper,  in  our  modern  seed  drills,  firms  the  soil 
sufficiently  to  insure  prompt  germination  of  seed  under  common 
circumstances. 


224 — How  to  Make  the  Garden  Pay. 


CULTIVATION. — Usually  the  young  plants  will  begin  to 
appear  above  ground  inside  of  two  weeks,  and  now  an  energetic 
and  unceasing  fight  against  weeds  begins,  which  lasts  all  through 
the  larger  part  of  the  growing  season.  Use  the  wheel-hoe  early 

and  often,  and  never 
attempt  to  do  without  one 
of  these  tools  in  the  onion 
patch,  as  this  would 
almost  exclude  any  possi- 
bility of  making  it  pay. 
The  weeding  has  to  be 
done  on  hands  and  knees, 
early  and  often  enough  to 
suppress  all  weed  growth. 
One  of  the  hand-weeders, 
a  common  table  knife  with 
blade  sharpened  on  both 
sides  and  bent  in  a  curve, 
or  a  common  iron  spoon, 
can  be  used  to  advantage 
in  scraping  away  the  soil 
from  the  growing  plants, 
and  with  it  all  weeds  just 
starting  in  the  row.  Never 
draw  the  soil  up  to  the 
onions,  as  they  grow  best 
on  top  of  the  ground.  A 
second  top-dressing  of  fer- 
tilizer, or  of  wood-ashes,  at 
the  time  when  the  bulbs 
have  made  about  half  their 
growth,  often  has  the  happi- 
est effects.  Still  I  consider 
repeated  applications  of 
nitrate  of  soda,  say  at  the 
rate  of  100  pounds  per  acre 
each  time,  of  more  conse- 
quence than  any  other 
top-dressing  I  know  of. 
Early  attention  should  be 
directed  to  the  proper 
thinning.  At  the  second 
weeding  the  plants  must  be  left  to  stand  not  less  than  2  inches 
apart  in  the  rows.  Remove  the  weaker — always  leave  the 
strongest  plants.  In  subsequent  weedings  a  narrow-bladed  hoe 
may  be  used,  thus  allowing  the  work  to  be  done  in  a  standing 
position. 


^ 
CaLQBB 

DANVERS 


Prizetaker. 


Wethersfield. 


Cultural  Directions. — 225 

I  cannot  lay  too  much  stress  on  the  great  importance  of 
timely  action  in  every  stage  of  the  proceeding.  A  few  days' 
neglect  in  cultivating  or  weeding  may  increase  the  amount  of 
labor  required  to  such  an  extent  as  to  double  the  cost  of  crop,  at 
the  same  time  greatly  reducing  the  yield. 

HARVESTING. — When  the  bulbs  have  reached  their  full  size 
and  maturity,  as  indicated  by  the  dying  down  of  the  tops,  the 
crop  is  ready  to  be  harvested. 
Pull  the  onions  by  hand,  or  rake 
them  out  by  means  of  a  dull 
steel  rake ;  taking  great  care  to 
avoid  cutting  into  them ;  then 
leave  in  windrows  on  the  ground 
to  cure.  Afterwards  twist  or  cut 
off  the  remnants  of  tops  and 
roots,  if  there  be  such,  and  try 
to  sell  the  crop  immediately  from 
the  field.  If  this  cannot  be  done, 
store  in  a  rather  thin  layer  on  a 
dry  floor  or  loft,  until  they  can 
he  disposed  of.  I  would  not 
advise  the  novice  to  attempt 

wintering  even  a  part  of  the  crop,  as  this  is  a  task  which  involves 
risk  even  for  the  more  experienced. 

ONIONS  IN  THE  KITCHEN  GARDEN. — For  home  use  we  want 
variety  at  all  times,  consequently  we  should  plant  a  few  sets  to 
give  us  an  early  supply  of  bunch  onions.  This  we  do  in  the  way 
already  described  for  market  growing,  setting  them  in  a  row  or 
two  among  our  regular  patch  of  closely-planted  vegetables.  We 
also  desire  onions  for  late  use,  and  so  we  must  also  sow  seed  of 

various  varieties,  a  row  or  so  of 
each.  Here  the  general  rules 
given  for  culture  in  the  farm 
garden  should  be  closely  fol- 
lowed. The  thinning  can  be 
done  gradually,  and  the  young 
plants  thus  pulled  out  of  the 
rows  will  supply  the  kitchen 
with  onion  material  and  onion 
flavor  during  the  larger  part  of 
summer,  and  until  the  bulbs  mature.  For  convenience  and  uni- 
formity's sake  we  allow  the  same  space  between  rows  as  adopted 
for  all  the  other  small  stuff,  1 5  inches  being  the  usual  and  most 
convenient  distance  between  the  teeth  of  the  hand  marker  designed 
for  use  in  the  home  garden.  Seed  is  usually  sown  by  hand,  but 
if  a  garden  drill  is  handy,  and  seed  is  to  be  sown  in  larger 
quantities  than  single  small  packages,  by  all  means  use  the  drill. 


Yellow  Dutch. 


226 — How  to  Make  the  Garden  Pay. 


Extra  Early  Red. 


I  have  discovered  still  another  method  for  growing  onions, 
both  for  early  and  late  use,  and  I  consider  it  of  the  greatest  value. 
I  am  sure  it  is  by  far  the  safest  and  best  way  of  raising  mammoth 
bulbs  for  exhibition  purposes,  and  it  has  other  important 
advantages  besides. 

A  NOVEL  METHOD. — In  February,  March  or  April,  start 
plants  by  sowing  seed  thickly  in  a  well-prepared  cold  frame,  and 

as  soon  as  the  open  ground  can  be 
worked,  prepare  it  in  the  same  thor- 
ough way  as  directed  for  bunch  and 
seed  onions,  using  the  best  of  manure 
without  stint.  Mark  out  the  patch 
with  a  hand- marker  at  the  usual 
distance,  and  set  the  young  plants 

3  inches  apart  in  the  row,  or  even 

4  inches  for  the  large  foreign  sorts 
which  succeed  admirably  under  this 
treatment.       The  part   intended  for 
early  use  as  "bunch"  onions  need 
not  be  planted  further  than  2  inches 

apart.  Every  other  one  may  then  be  pulled  up  and  used  in  an 
early  stage  of  growth,  and  the  remaining  ones  be  left  to  come  to 
maturity. 

I  recommend  this  method  with  fullest  confidence  as  a  most 
excellent  one,  and  I  believe  that  even  the  market  gardener  (and  per- 
haps the  farm  gardener  also)  may 
find  points  of  merit  in  it  which 
will  recommend  it  to  him  for  trial. 
It  reduces  the  expense  for  seed  to 
a  minimum  ;  and  while  requiring 
considerable  labor  in  setting  the 
plants  (although  youngsters  might 
be  employed  for  this  purpose  to 
advantage,  and  with  a  saving  in 
wages),  it  dispenses  with  most  of 
the  tedious  and  delicate  hand- 
weeding.  This  work  can  be  done 
very  conveniently  by  means  of 
wheel-hoe  and  hand  hoe  alone. 
My  new  method  also  makes  the 
crop  uniform,  and  by  lengthening 
the  growing  season  of  the  fra- 
grant bulb,  adds  to  its  individual  size,  and  to  the  aggregate  yield. 

I  practice  this  novel  method  myself— am  not  merely  preach- 
ing it.  Under  this  season's  most  unfavorable  circumstances  my 
Prize-taker  onions,  grown  in  this  way,  yielded  at  the  rate  of 
considerably  above  1000  bushels  per  acre. 


White  Globe. 


Cultural  Directions. — 227 

VARIETIES. 

Our  list  of  standard  market  sorts  is  not  so  very  large,  and 
often  we  have  but  little  choice  in  this  respect.  On  the  other 
hand  the  strains  and  selections  of  the  different  kinds  are  numer- 
ous, and  greatly  differing  in  merit.  Of  the  Danvers  Yellow,  for 
instance,  we  have  strains  of  almost  perfect  globe  shape,  others 
more  or  less  approaching  it,  and  from  this  every  grade  to  the 
flat  shape  of  the  Yellow  Dutch.  Some  strains  are  so  improved, 
by  careful  selection,  that  the  scallion  is  a 
rare  occurrence  among  them,  while  others 


Rocca.  Top  Sets.  Silver  Skin. 

give  a  large  proportion  of  thick-necked  bulbs.  Our  first  concern, 
therefore,  is  not  only  to  getfres/i  seed,  but  also  the  best  strain  of 
the  best  varieties.  Repeated  trials  of  the  seeds  offered  under 
guarantee  by  leading  seedsmen  will  give  you  the  desired  infor- 
mation about  their  worth. 

Wethersfield,  Wethersfield  Red.  —  The  leading  red 
market  variety,  large,  coarse,  reliable  and  exceedingly  prolific. 
Skin  deep  purplish-red  ;  flesh  white  ;  flavor  strong.  Unsurpassed 
as  a  keeper. 

Danvers  Yellow,  Yellow  Globe  Danvers. — Undoubtedly 
the  most  reliable  market  variety,  and  one  of  the  most  prolific. 
Early,  good-sized,  as  round  as  a  ball,  and  smooth  as  an  apple, 
neck  very  small,  flesh  fine-grained.  Cannot  be  praised  too 
highly. 

White  Globe,  Southport  White  Globe. — The  most  popu- 
lar white  market  sort.  Beautiful  silvery-white  in  color,  and  of 
perfect  globe  shape.  Large,  prolific,  reliable.  Should  be  cured 
in  the  shade,  otherwise  it  is  apt  to  become  discolored.  Keeps 
well. 

Red  Globe,  Southport  Red  Globe, 

Yellow  Globe,  Southport  Yellow  Globe. — These  resemble 
the  White  Globe  in  every  way  except  color. 

Yellow  Dutch,  Yellow  Strassburg. — Prolific  and  of  fine 
flavor.  Shape  rather  flat.  Largely  grown  for  market,  and 
almost  exclusively  for  yellow  sets. 


228 — How  to  Make  the  Garden  Pay. 

Extra  Early  Red. — Desirable  for  early  market.  Hardy, 
reliable,  growing  quickly  to  fair  size,  A  good  keeper,  and 
especially  valuable  for  red  sets. 

Silver  Skin,  White  Portugal,  Philadelphia  White.— 
Largely  grown  for  pickling  and  for  white  sets.  Of  mild  pleasant 
flavor,  and  decidedly  handsome  appearance. 

Maule's  Prizetaker. — This  I  consider  the  finest  of  all 
onions  with  which  I  am  acquainted.  I  have  grown  almost  every 
variety  listed  by  seedsmen ;  but  have  never  found  one  as  large 
in  size  nor  as  handsome  in  shape  and  general  appearance.  This 
variety  looks  for  all  the  world  like  the  imported  Spanish  onion, 
which  is  sold  in  our  fruit  stores  at  five  cents  or  more  per  pound. 

White  Barletta. — The  earliest  and  smallest  onion ;  excel- 
lent for  pickles. 

New  Queen. — Another  small,  handsome  early  pickling 
onion,  good  keeper.  White. 

Silver  King,  Mammoth  Silver  King. — Introduced  as  the 
largest  of  all  onions.  Skin  silvery-white,  flesh  remarkably  sweet 
and  tender. 

Giant  Rocca  of  Naples, 

Giant  Pompeii, 

Mammoth  Red  Tripoli, 

Giant  White  Tripoli,  etc.,  etc. — All  these  are  Italian 
varieties  of  quick  growth,  large  size,  remarkably  mild  flavor, 
but  not  long  keepers. 

Potato  Onions. — These  produce  no  seed,  and  are  always 
grown  from  the  bulbs,  which  when  planted,  increase  in  size,  and 
also  produce  a  cluster  of  bulbs  around  the  one  planted.  I  have 
had  excellent  success  with  it  in  New  Jersey,  and  seen  it  do  well 
in  southern  Pennsylvania  and  sections  south  of  these  localities. 
Profitable  for  market,  and  entirely  reliable. 

Egyptian  Perennial  Tree  Onion. — This  is  probably 
grown  more  for  its  tops,  to  be  used  during  winter  for  soups,  etc., 
than  for  its  bulbs.  It  is  entirely  hardy,  and  after  once  planted, 
can  be  had  from  the  garden  almost  the  entire  year.  I  do  not 
value  it  very  highly. 

PARSLEY. 

Apium  Petroselinum.  German,  Peter silie;  French,  Persil ; 
Spanish,  Peryil.  Grown  to  a  limited  extent  in  market  and  home 
gardens.  The  leaves  are  used  for  seasoning  soups,  and  for  gar- 
nishing. Market  gardeners  sow  for  early  supply  in  cold  frame, 
or  between  rows  of  other  vegetables.  Seed  is  slow  to  germinate, 
and  an  early  crop  like  radishes  or  lettuce  can  be  taken  off  in 
time  to  give  to  the  parsley  the  needed  room.  When  large 
enough,  the  tops  are  repeatedly  cut,  and  tied  in  little  bunches  for 


Cultural  Directions. — 229 

market,  each  containing  about  as  much  as  can  be  encircled  by 

thumb  and  forefinger.     For  later  use,  seed  may  be  sown  in  open 

ground,  in  drills  12  inches  apart.      A  little  patch  will  go  a  great 

ways  towards  overstocking 

the    market,    and    half    a 

dozen  plants,  well  fed,  will 

be  sufficient   for   a   family 

garden.      For    winter    use 

the  leaves  may  be  dried ; 

or  a  few  plants  taken  up  and 

trenched    in     like    celery. 

Or   you    may  have  a    few  Double  Curled. 

plants    growing   in   a  box 

or  keg  in  the  kitchen  or  cellar,  or  under  the   greenhouse  bench. 

To  grow  it  in  the  latter  way,  the  plants  should  be  started  from 

seed  in  the  fall. 

VARIETIES. 

Plain  or  Common. — Somewhat  hardier  than  the  curled  sorts, 
and  good  enough  for  seasoning. 

Double  Curled,  Extra  Double  Curled. — A  beautiful 
variety  with  thick,  curled  foliage,  and  suitable  both  for  flavoring 
and  garnishing. 

Fern-Leaved. — Foliage  most  beautifully  serrated,  excel- 
lent for  garnishing. 

PARSNIPS. 

Pastinctca  Sativa.  German,  Pastinake ; 
French,  Panais ;  Spanish,  Chirivia. — Parsnip 
culture  is  very  similar  to 
that  of  the  carrot,  and  the 
vegetable  has  about  the 
same  value  as  a  garden  and 
farm  crop,  and  for  stock 
feeding.  Sow  in  April  or 
May  in  rows  12  to  18 
inches  apart,  being  careful 
to  use  new  seed  only ;  and 
thin  the  young  plants  to 
3  or  4  inches  apart.  The 
plants  start  slowly  and 
feebly  at  first,  somewhat 
like  Parsley,  but  soon  get 
strong  and  able  to  take 
Soil  should  be  clean  and  moderately  rich. 


Early  Short  Round, 
care  of  themselves. 


Parsnips  are  perfectly  hardy,  and  their  flavor  is  improved  by 


230 — How  to  Make  the  Garden  Pay. 

frost.  That  part  of  the  crop  which  is  wanted  for  use  or  market 
during  the  winter,  should  be  dug  before  the  ground  freezes  solid, 
and  stored  in  root  cellar.  The  balance  is  left  in 
the  ground,  and  will  carry  through  the  winter 
without  loss.  For  stock  in  early  spring  it  is 
very  superior — equal  to  carrots — and  the  easy 
way  of  wintering  gives  to  parsnips  a  great 
advantage  over  all  other  root  crops. 

VARIETIES. 

Long  Smooth. — The  old  standard  variety, 
with  very  long  roots.  Large  and  reliable. 

Hollow  Crown,  Student,  Improved  Half 
Long. — Roots  handsome,  and  very  clean- 
skinned;  crown  despressed  or  hollow.  A 
superior  half-long  table  variety. 

Round,  Early  Short  Round. — Very  early ; 
roots  short  and  chunky,  somewhat  like  a  turnip 
in  shape.  Decidedly  the  best  for  very  shallow 
soils. 


Long 
Smooth. 


PEANUT. 


Arachia  hypogcea.  German,  Erdnuss ;  French,  Arachide, 
Spanish,  Chufa. — The  peanut  is  an  important  farm  crop  for  Vir- 
ginia and  other  south- 
ern states;  and  while 
interesting  everywhere, 
it  is  very  unreliable 
north  of  Philadelphia, 
as  it  requires  a  long 
season  to  bring  it  to 
maturity.  In  the  north- 
ern home  garden  it 
will  especially  interest 
the  young  people, 
and  the  newly  intro- 
duced "  Spanish  "  or 
"Improved"  nut  should 
be  tried  just  on  this 
account  where  the  com- 
mon Virginia  peanut 
cannot  be  expected  to 
ripen.  Select  warm 
soil,  if  possible  of  a  cal- 
careous nature;  mark 
out  rows  3  feet  apart,  and  drop  the  nuts  about  a  foot  apart  in  the 


Improved  "Ground  Pea"  or  Peanut. 


Cultural  Directions. — 231 

rows,  one  in  a  place,  and  cover  with  2  inches  of  soil.  It  is  not 
necessary  to  remove  the  hulls  or  shucks  before  planting.  Culti- 
vate and  hoe  freely,  leaving  but  one  plant  in  a  place ;  and  keep 
the  soil  well  mellowed  up  around  the  plants  when  seeds  (nuts) 
are  forming.  It  is  quite  interesting  to  observe  the  flowers  as  they 
insert  their  ovaries  into  the  mellow  soil,  where  they  complete 
their  growth  and  form  nuts.  Before  freezing  weather  the  plants 
are  dug,  or  pulled  up.  Hang  under  a  shed  to  cure  ;  then  gather, 
clean  and  sort  the  nuts. 

VARIETIES. 

Common  Virginia. — The  common  market  sort  of  the 
south,  and  found  in  every  fruit  store  in  America.  Prolific,  nuts 
large  and  well  scattered. 

Spanish  Improved. — Several  weeks  earlier  than  the  pre- 
ceding. Nuts  all  growing  in  a  compact  cluster  near  the  main 
stalk,  and  can  be  harvested  by  simply  pulling  up  by  hand.  Pods 
small  but  well  filled.  Worthy  of  trial  at  the  north. 

PEAS. 

Pisum  Sativum.  German,  Erbse ;  French,  Pois :  Spanish, 
Guisante. — In  green  peas  we  have  an  important  crop  for  both  the 
garden  and  the  farm.  The  profits  may  not  be  so  very  large,  but 
the  product  is  always  salable,  and  brings  early  money.  Nor  is  it 
necessary  that  the  soil  be  so  very  rich 
or  heavily  manured.  I  found  no  garden 
crop  that  I  can  grow  with  greater  ease 
and  certainty  merely  by  a  moderate 
application  of  some  good  complete  fertil- 
izer— say  500  or  600  pounds  per  acre. 
Peas  seem  to  be  partial  to  potash,  and 
this  in  some  form  alone,  or  togetherwith 
phosphate  (in  ashes)  frequently  give  as 
good  results  as  complete  manure.  Peas 
do  best  in  the  fore-part  of  the  season, 
and  should  be  planted  early,  as  those 
planted  late  for  "  succession  "  hardly  ever 
turn  out  very  satisfactory.  Sow  in  drills, 
2  to  3  inches  deep,  and  2^  to  3^  feet 
apart,  according  to  vigor  of  variety  and  Earliest  of  All. 

strength  of  soil.  When  grown  for  market  the  first  aim  should  be 
to  get  the  crop  ready  for  sale  at  the  earliest  possible  date. 

For  the  home  garden  I  prefer  to  sow  the  best  sorts — early, 
medium,  late  and  latest — as  early  as  I  consider  it  safe,  and  often 
all  at  one  time.  This  gives  me  a  succession  for  3  weeks  or  more, 


232 — How  to  Make  the  Garden  Pay, 

which  is  fully  sufficient  for  my  purposes.  I  also  look  with  dis- 
favor upon  the  practice  of  brushing;  hence  plant  chiefly  the  more 
dwarf  sorts  which  do  not  require  support. 


The  sowing  is  usually  done  by  hand  in  drills  opened  to  the 
proper  depth,  and  seed  scattered  pretty  freely  to  insure  a  full 
stand. 

VARIETIES. 

Garden  peas  are  classed  in  three  great  sections ;  namely, 
(i)  the  round  or  smooth  peas  ;  (2)  the  wrinkled  peas  ;  and  (3) 
the  edible-podded  or  sugar  peas.  The  round  or  smooth  sorts 
are  hardier  than  the  others  and  can  therefore,  be  planted  earlier. 
Although  all  peas  are  usually  classed  as  perfectly  hardy,  it  is 
nevertheless  a  fact  that  a  large  percentage  of  the  seed  annually 
planted  rots  in  the  ground,  merely  because  the  ground  at  the 
time  of  planting  is  not  warm  enough  for  germination. 

The  majority  of  farmers  plant  only  the  common  smooth 
kinds,  chiefly  Black-Eyed  Marrowfat,  both  for  home  use,  and  for 
market ;  and  neither  they,  nor  their  village  customers  are  aware 


MAULE'S 

EXTRA  EARLY 

THE  MOST  PROFITABLE  PEA 
FOR  MARKET  GARDENERS 


tenderness  of  some 
wrinkled  peas.      I 


confess  I  have  no  appetite  for  the  Black-Eyed  Marrowfats,  and 
others  of  that  class,  and  do  not  want  it  on  my  table,  so  long  as  I 
can  just  as  well  have  wrinkled  sorts,  that  are  as  much  superior 
to  them  as  cream  is  to  skim-milk.  Besides  this  the  wrinkled 
sorts  have  larger  and  better-filled  pods,  and  peas  of  very  much 


as 


Cultural  Directions. — 233 

larger  size,  while  the  plants  perhaps  are  only  12  or  18  inches 
high.  Our  children,  for  instance,  would  pick  thiee  baskets  of 
Stratagem,  or  Yorkshire  Hero,  etc.,  as  quickly  and  easily 
they  could  fill  one  of  the 
Black-Eyed  Marrowfats. 

Earliest  of  All, 

Maule's  Improved 
Extra  Early. — These  two 
sorts  are  the  only  ones  of 
the  very  early  smooth 
kind,  with  which  I  have 
been  entirely  pleased. 
Pods  are  good-sized  and 
well-filled,  and  the  peas 
of  very  good  quality.  A 
few  days  earlier  than 
Little  Gem,  and  decidedly 
prolific.  Good  for  both 
market  and  home  use. 

Alaska, 

Daniel  O'Rourke, 

Philadelphia  Extra 
Early, 

First  and  Best. — In 
these  we  have  other 
and  very  popular  market  Bliss'  Everbearing. 

varieties  of  the  first  early 
smooth  class.  All  of  this 
kind  are  somewhat  similar  in 
general  characteristics,  and 
grow  from  I  %  to  2  feet  high. 

Black- Eyed  Marrowfat. — 
Very  popular  with  farmers  for 
general  use,  and  as  a  field 
variety.  Good  bearer;  pods 
large  and  well-filled.  A  late, 
smooth  variety. 

Blue  Peter,  McLean's 
Blue  Peter, 

Blue  Imperial,  Dwarf 
Blue  Imperial, 

Blue  Beauty. — These  blue- 
seeded  smooth  varieties  bear 
numerous  and  well-filled  pods; 

and  the  peas  are  large  and  handsome,  but  not  equal  in  flavor  to 
the  wrinkled  kinds. 


American  Wonder. 


234 — How  to  Make  the  Garden  Pay. 

Little  Gem,  McLean's  Little  Gem. — A  leading  and 
reliable  first-early  wrinkled  sort,  with  well-filled  pods,  and  of  fine 
quality. 

Premium  Gem. — Resembles  the  preceding,  and  is  said 
to  be  an  improvement  on  it. 

American  Wonder.— A  very  dwarf,  very  early  wrinkled 
pea,  of  unsurpassed  quality.  Grows  seldom 
more  than  6  to  8  inches  high ;  and  should  be 
planted  only  on  very  rich  soil,  where  highest 
culture  is  given. 

Abundance,  Bliss'  Abundance. — Half- 
dwarf,  branching,  exceedingly  prolific.  Pods 
large,  well-filled,  I  might  say  overcrowded. 
Wrinkled  and  of  fair  quality.  Late. 

Bliss'  Everbearing. — Similar  in  outward 
appearance  to  the  preceding,  but  of  vastly  better 
quality.  In  this  respect  really  one  of  the  very 
best  of  all  peas.  Late. 

Stratagem. — One  of  the  finest  peas  in 
existence.  Plant  dwarfish,  branching.  Pods  of 
very  largest  size,  and  crowded  with  peas  which 
are  of  largest  size  and  remarkably  rich  and 
sweet.  Late. 

Prince  of  Wales, 
Yorkshire  Hero, 

Telephone. — These  beautiful  wrinkled  sorts 
should  be  tested  in  every  garden  ;  pods  and 
seeds  large  and  the  latter  sweet  and  rich.  Late. 
Champion  of  England. — The  old  popular 
late  wrinkled  sort.  Plant  4  or  5  feet  high.  Pods 
and  peas  of  fair  size  and  numerous.  Peas  of 
choicest  quality. 

New  Perpetual. — A  real  summer  pea, 
worthy  its  name.  A  strong  grower,  branching, 
and  seemingly  inexhaustible  in  productiveness. 
Late,  and  continues  to  produce  its  large  and 
well-filled  pods  until  fall.  Peas  very  large  and 
Stratagem.  Qf  ^ne  quaiity,  tender,  rich  and  sweet. 

Dwarf  Sugar. — A  low  growing  sort,  bearing  edible  pods. 
None  of  this  class  are  used  to  a  very  large  extent  in  this  country. 

PEPPER  (Chili  Pepper.) 

Capsicum  Anmmm. — German,  Piment  Pfeffer ;  French, 
Piment ;  Spanish,  Pimento. — Easily  grown  in  almost  any 
rich  soil,  and  almost  any  location  of  the  United  States. 
Plants  should  be  started  early  in  hot-bed  or  green-house, 


Ruby  King-. 


Cultural  Directions. — 235 

and  treated  similarly  as  tomato  or   egg-plants;    but    they    do 

not    require    near   as    long  a   season    as    either   of   them    to 

produce  a  crop.     I   usually  sow  seeds  in  boxes  or  flats,  often 

rather  crowded,  and  in 

early     June     transplant 

from    there    directly   to 

open  ground,  2  or  2^/2 

feet  apart,  and  plants  1 5 

inches  apart  in  the  rows. 

Soil  of  a  warm,  sandy 

character   is    given    the 

preference.     I  stimulate 

the     plants     to     thrifty 

growth     with     liberal 

dressings  of  hen  manure, 

and  perhaps  wood  ashes, 

and  thus  have  rows  that 

for  thrift  and  amount  of 

fruit    are     beautiful     to 

behold.     I  usually  sell  some  of  the  peppers;   a  very  few  are 

utilized  in  the  household,  in  preparing  pickles  and  chowders, 

etc.,  and  the  rest  are  chopped  up  and  mixed  with  other  stuff  to 

be  prepared  as  a  warm  breakfast  for  the  hens  during  fall  and 

early  winter. 

VARIETIES. 

Ruby  King. — Too  much  cannot  be  said  in  its  praise  both 
a    market    and    family  variety.     Fruit    very  large,  brilliant 

red,  well-shaped,  always 
smooth,  and  of  mild  flavor. 
Prolific. 

Large  Bell,  Bullnose, 
Sweet  Mountain. — 
These  are  the  principal 
older  market  sorts;  early, 
bright  red,  mild,  thick- 
fleshed  and  prolific. 

Golden    Dawn. — Re- 
sembles   Bullnose,    except 
in  color,  which  is  a  beau- 
tiful   yellow.     Sweet    and 
Red  Cluster.  productive. 

Golden    Upright. — 

Fruit  large,    golden   yellow,   smooth,   thick-fleshed,   mild    and 
always  upright.     Plants  and  foliage  of  remarkable  thrift. 

Golden  Queen. — Resembles  Ruby  King,  except  in  color 
which  is  a  fine  yellow. 


236 — How  to  Make  the  Garden  Pay 

Procopp's  Giant. — Largest  of  all,  being  two  or  three  times 
as  long  as  widest  diameter ;  pointed.  Will  need  a  few  years  more 
of  careful  selection  for  seed  to  make  it  more  uniform  and  smooth, 
when  it  may  be- 
come one  of  the 
grandest  sorts  in 
existence. 

Red  Clus- 
ter.— A  small 
plant,  perfectly 
covered  with 
coral-red,  small, 
thin  peppers, 
all  growing  in 

bunches  on  the  top  of  branches, 
and  pointing  upward  and  outward. 
Useful  for  hot  pickles.  Plant  quite 
ornamental. 

Long  Red  Cayenne. — Fruit 
small,  long,  very  pungent.  One  of 
the  old  standards. 

Celestial. — Fruit  about  I  y2 
inches  long,  conical,  at  first  of 
beautiful  waxy  yellow,  then  chang- 
ing  to  purplish  scarlet.  Plant  a  free  grower  and  thrifty  bearer, 
and  at  any  stage  of  development,  after  fruit  has  begun  to  set,  a 
most  attractive  thing,  worthy  to  be  cultivated  as  a  pot  plant  in 
greenhouse  or  conservatory. 

PENNYROYAL. 

Mentha  Pulegium.  German,  Krausemunze  ;  French,  Menthe 
Pouliot. — Perennial  of  the  mint  family,  easily  propagated  by 
division  of  the  creeping  root-stock,  often  found  growing  wild  in 
moist,  clayey  soils.  Leaves  have  an  agreeable  odor,  and  are 
used  for  seasoning  and  for  medical  purposes. 

PEPPERMINT. 

Mentha  Piperita.  German,  Pfeffermunze ;  French,  Menthe 
poirree. — Grows  wild  along  the  margins  of  swamps  and  streams, 
and  other  wet  places.  In  a  few  localities  it  is  largely  cultivated 
and  utilized  in  the  manufacture  of  peppermint  oil  and  essence. 
Propagated  by  division  of  root-stock  or  stem,  and  is  easily  grown. 
Plant  pieces  of  root  in  rows  2  feet  by  I,  and  give  it  a  fair  chance 
to  grow,  when  it  will  soon  take  care  of  itself  even  on  upland. 


Cultural  Directions. — 237 

POTATOES  (WHITE.) 

Solatium  Tuberosum.  German,  Kartoffel;  French ,  Pomme-de- 
terre  ;  Spanish,  Batatas. — The  invention  of  potato  planters  and 
diggers,  and  the  adoption  of  simplified  culture  generally,  with 
consequent  greatly  increased  production  and  greatly  diminished 
average  prices,  have  rendered  potato  growing  for  fall  and  winter 
market  on  a  small  scale  much  less  profitable  than  it  was  a  few 
years  ago,  and  are  more  and  more  taking  the  business  out  of  the 
hands  of  the  small  grower,  and  concentrating  it  in  the  hands  of  a 
few  who  plant  large  areas.  The  extensive  grower  has  immense 
advantages  in  the  opportunities  afforded  him  to  make  use  of  all 
the  modern  improved  implements  ;  and  the  small-scale  operator 
can  hope  to  stand  up  against  this  ruinous  machine  competition 
only  by  adopting  a  highly  intensive  system  of  cultivation.  It  is 
an  unfortunate  development,  but  seems  to  be  the  natural  out- 
growth of  all  our  present  industrial  conditions,  and  in  entire 
conformity  with  those  in  other  branches  of  business.  Potatoes 
may  yet  be  grown  on  a  similar  plan  as  wheat  growing  is  now 
carried  on  at  the  west  by  the  Dalrymples ;  but  while  the  yields 
on  the  large-scale  plan  may  be  a  little  above  100,  and  certainly 
less  than  150  bushels  per  acre,  the  small  grower,  by  careful 
selection  of  soil,  varieties,  manures,  etc.,  should  aim  to  bring  his 
crop  up  to  double  the  yields  named,  which  together  with  the  far 
smaller  cost  of  getting  the  crop  to  market,  must  more  than  offset 
all  large-scale  advantages. 

The  production  of  late  potatoes  for  market  is  a  farm  (not  a 
garden)  operation,  but  the  cultivation  of  early  varieties  often  fits 
nicely  into  market-garden  rotation,  and,  of  course,  belongs  to  the 
family  garden  also. 

SOIL  AND  MANURE. — Under  proper  treatment,  the  crop  can 
be  grown  on  soil  of  almost  any  composition,  provided  it  has  a  good 
natural  or  artificial  drainage  Sandy  loam,  however,  is  always 
considered  best — best  for  the  yield  and  best  for  quality  of  tuber. 
All  soils  for  potatoes,  however,  should  be  generously  provided 
with  humus  (decayed  vegetable  matter),  the  more  the  better ; 
hence  a  young  clover  sod  is  always  given  the  preference. 

Where  the  humus  supply  in  the  soil  is  scant,  nothing  better 
in  the  way  of  manure  could  be  applied  than  thoroughly-rotted 
compost.  Raw  stable  manure  is  to  be  avoided  unless  it  can  be 
applied  a  year  in  advance,  or  on  a  preceding  crop.  As  a  general 
thing,  it  is  much  safer  to  depend  on  soil  in  good  fertility  rather 
than  on  manure  applications ;  but  on  soils  containing  a  sufficiency 
of  vegetable  matter  I  would  use  a  good  high-grade  complete 
fertilizer,  such  as  now  made  by  most  large  fertilizer  concerns 
especially  for  potatoes  and  other  vegetables  (a  "  special  potato 


238 — How  to  Make  the  Garden  Pay. 

manure  ")  in  preference  to  even  the  best  of  stable  manure.  It  is 
pure  nonsense  and  poor  economy,  however,  to  waste  large 
quantities  of  such  fertilizer  on  utterly  run-down  land,  in  the 
expectation  of  growing  very  large  crops  right  away.  I  have  often 
found  out  that  this  will  not  work.  Accumulated  fertility  in  the 
soil  appears  to  be  indispensable  for  a  full  measure  of  success.  At 
the  same  time,  it  will  be  proper  to  state  that  these  high-grade 
fertilizers,  applied  at  the  rate  of  from  800  to  1600  Ibs.  per  acre, 
have  sometimes  given  me  an  increase  in  the  yield  sufficient  to 
pay  two  or  three  times  the  cost  of  manure,  besides  leaving  the 
ground  in  better  condition  than  before. 

ROTATION. — To  diminish  the  danger  of  attacks  by  potato 
beetles,  flea  beetles,  and  other  insect  foes,  as  well  as  by  the 
diseases  peculiar  to  the  crop,  its  frequent  change  to  a  location 
as  far  as  possible  remote  from  any  place  where  potatoes  had 
been  grown  the  year  before,  is  to  be  heartily  recommended 
as  a  safe  and  most  practical  means.  This  may  not  usually 
prevent  the  attacks  entirely;  but  it  will  tend  to  render  them 
far  less  serious  and  intense.  Although  perhaps  not  generally 
recognized,  it  is  nevertheless  a  fact  that  few  potato  crops  are 
now  grown  the  foliage  of  which  escapes  considerable  injury 
by  beetles,  blights,  and  poisonous  applications,  resulting  in 
great  reduction  of  the  yield.  Strictest  adherence  to  the  "  wide 
rotation  "  principle,  therefore,  is  a  practice  dictated  by  ordinary 
prudence. 

AVERAGE  YIELDS. — The  average  yield  of  the  crop  in  the 
various  states  is  ridiculously  low.  Some  of  the  reasons  for  this 
fact  have  already  been  alluded  to.  Another  is  the  yet  common 
practice  of  planting  in  check  rows,  which,  besides,  are  often 
needlessly  wide  apart.  A  change  to  drill  planting,  with  not  more 
than  3  feet  space  between  the  rows,  and  12  to  18  inches  between 
the  seed  pieces,  frequently  doubles  the  yield. 

The  size  of  seed  pieces  also  has  its  decided  influence  upon 
the  yield.  Large  seed  pieces  under  average  circumstances  give 
the  largest  crops.  Most  growers  use  pieces  too  small  for  their 
own  good.  Let  us  make  an  examination  of  the  potato  fields  a 
few  weeks  after  planting  time,  in  spring,  and  we  see  the  great 
majority  of  the  plantings  come  up  slowly  and  weakly,  with  a 
single  stalk  growing  from  each  hill,  and  many  gaps  in  the  rows. 
We  may  be  sure  the  yield  will  be  accordingly.  Larger  pieces, 
even  whole  tubers,  have  always  given  me  the  heaviest  yields,  and 
this  to  such  an  extent,  that  this  extremely  heavy  seeding  (some- 
times over  30  bushels  per  acre)  has  turned  out  to  be  very  profit- 
able on  good  soil,  and  under  average  fair  conditions. 

The  condition  of  seed  is  another  factor  in  determining  the 
yield.  A  full  crop  can  only  be  grown  from  fresh,  plump,  seed- 
tubers  that  have  not  been  weakened  by  the  emission  of  spindling 


Cultural  Directions. — 239 

sprouts  before  planting.  Here  we  probably  have  the  secret  why 
"northern-grown"  seed  gives  so  much  better  satisfaction  to 
southern  planters  than  seed  from  their  own  localities. 

EARLY  CROPS. — The  same  methods  suited  for  the  production 
of  early  potatoes  in  the  market  garden  may  also  be  adopted  for 
the  family  garden,  and  for  small-scale  operations  generally. 

The  southern  states  supply  the  chief  markets  of  the  north 
with  young  potatoes  long  before  the  northern  near-by  grower 
can  get  his  crop  ready.  It  may  be  true  that  the  southern  potato 
grower  takes  the  cream ;  but  the  milk  that  is  left  is  yet  very 
acceptable  to  the  northern  grower,  who  manages  now  to  get  his 
crop  into  market  a  little  in  advance  of  the  rush,  thus  securing 
quite  remunerative  prices  in  spite  of  all  southern  competition. 
Earliness  must  be  the  foremost  aim. 

As  means  to  this  end  we  have  (first),  a  judicious  selection  of 
soil,  which  should  be  well-drained,  warm,  somewhat  sandy,  and 
full  of  vegetable  matter ;  (second),  the  selection  of  earliest  good 
varieties,  such,  for  instance,  as  Early  Ohio  and  Early  Sunrise ; 
(third),  the  use  of  well-preserved  seed  tubers ;  (fourth),  reasonably 
heavy  seeding ;  (fifth),  early  planting,  in  a  sheltered  situation  if 
possible ;  (sixth),  stimulation  of  the  plants  by  high  feeding  and 
high  cultivation  to  induce  rapid  development ;  (seventh),  digging 
and  marketing  j  ust  as  soon  as  the  tubers  are  in  merchantable 
condition. 

GARDEN  CULTURE. — Early  in  spring  the  ground  is  thoroughly 
plowed  and  harrowed,  and  the  furrows  marked  out  with  a  one- 
horse  plow,  2*4  or  3  feet  apart.  Market  gardeners,  following 
their  natural  instincts  and  habits  of  close  planting,  usually  have 
the  rows  2l/2  feet  apart.  I  find  it  more  convenient  for  cultivation 
to  make  them  for  early  sorts  at  same  distance  as  for  the  late  ones, 
3  feet  apart.  If  any  fertilizer  is  applied  in  the  bottom  of  the 
furrows — say  a  dressing  of  fine  compost,  wood  ashes,  hen  manure, 
or  "  special  potato  manure,"  it  is  well  mixed  with  the  soil,  and  the 
latter  at  the  same  time  nicely  pulverized,  by  running  a  shovel- 
plow  once  or  twice  along  in  each  furrow.  On  a  small  scale  this 
may  be  accomplished  by  plying  the  hand  hoe. 

The  seed  pieces  are  then  dropped  10  or  12  inches  apart  in 
the  furrows,  and  covered  about  two  inches  deep  with  the  hoe. 
Some  good  special  potato  fertilizer  may  now  be  scattered  along 
the  rows  above  the  covered  seed  pieces,  say  at  the  rate  of  from 
400  to  800  Ibs.  per  acre;  and  if  the  land  is  not  rich  in  accumu- 
lated plant  food,  a  small  dressing  of  nitrate  of  soda,  broadcast, 
will  assist  in  bringing  out  an  early  and  thrifty  growth  of  foliage. 
The  cultivator  (Planet  Jr.,  or  a  similar  narrow-bladed  wheel-hoe) 
should  be  used  very  freely ;  and  as  the  plants  grow,  the  furrows 
are  filled  up  level  with  the  surface.  Hilling  is  neither  required 
nor  beneficial.  The  old  style  of  ridging  by  means  of  a  winged 


240 — How  to  Make  the  Garden  Pay. 

shovel-plow  is  out  of  date  ;  but  the  soil  must  be  kept  well  stirred 
and  mellow  until  the  plants  cover  the  ground.  When  the  tops 
begin  to  die,  or  even  sooner,  the  crop  is  ready  for  digging,  and 
if  the  price  is  acceptable,  should  be  marketed  at  once,  since  prices 
are  usually  declining  very  rapidly  just  at  that  time. 

FIELD  CULTURE. — The  market  gardener,  on  account  of  his 
larger  yields  and  the  better  prices  he  receives,  can  well  afford 
to  take  more  pains  with  his  crop  ;  and  so  can  the  home  grower, 

who  will  hardly  miss  the 
few  hours  he  spends  on  his 
patch  plying  the  hoe.  In 
growing  potatoes  for  main 
(late)  crop,  however,  with 
the  prospect  of  continued 
low  prices  for  an  average 
crop  before  us,  we  are  forced 
to  adopt  a  more  economical 
system,  especially  in  the 
employment  of  labor.  The 
work  must  be  done  almost 
exclusively  with  horse  and 
Early  Sunrise.  machine,  and  without  call- 

ing on  hand  hoes  and  spading  forks  or  potato  hooks  for  assistance. 
Thus  it  is  yet  possible,  even  at  the  present  low  average  prices,  to 
make  the  crop  one  of  the  most  profitable  for  the  farm  in  favor- 
able locations. 

A  young,  rich  clover  field,  as  already  stated,  is  undoubtedly 
a  superior  selection  for  a  site.  In  regard  to  the  application  of 
manures,  I  confess  we  are  as  yet 
quite  ignorant.  A  number  of 
ways  are  open  to  us,  namely : 
(i)  to  apply  the  compost  or 
fertilizers  broadcast  and  plow  it 
in;  or,  (2)  to  broadcast  them 
after  plowing  and  simply  harrow 
them  in ;  or,  (3)  to  put  the  fertil- 
izing material  into  the  bottom  of 
the  furrows  under  the  seed  ;  or, 
(4)  to  scatter  it  over  the  lightly 
covered  seed.  Myself  and  other 
people  have  made  various  tests  to  find  out  which  of  these 
methods  will  give  us  the  best  results  ;  but  the  outcome  thus  far 
has  been  of  a  rather  negative  character,  and  I  believe  the  conclu- 
sion is  justified  that  the  mode  of  application  is  of  far  less  influence 
upon  the  yield  than  the  quantity  of  fertilizer.  The  indications, 
also,  are  that  fertilizer  applied  above  the  seed  usually  gives 
slightly  better  returns  than  when  applied  in  the  bottom  of  the 


Chas.  Downing. 


Cultural  Directions. — 241 

furrow  before  planting.  My  own  practice — satisfactory  to  myself 
— is  to  spread  the  compost,  if  any  is  applied,  evenly  over  the  field 
before  plowing ;  but  to  apply  only  half  of  the  fertilizer  broadcast, 
either  before  or  after  plowing,  and  to  scatter  the  other  half  over 
the  rows  above  the  covered  seed  pieces. 

I  believe  in  planting  early,  say  one  or  two  weeks  before  the 
customary  time  for  planting  field  corn.  But  it  can  also  be  done 
later  in  the  season,  and  even  up  to  July,  provided  that  good  seed 
is  on  hand.  To  preserve  seed  tubers  until  that  time  in  best  con- 
dition, they  may  be  spread  thinly  upon  the  floor  in  a  well-lighted 
room,  or  kept  in  cold  storage  until  wanted  for  planting. 

Size  of  seed  pieces  and  distance  of  placing  them  in  the  drills 
depend  somewhat  on  local  conditions.  Some  growers  report 
good  results  from  planting  single-eye  pieces  rather  close.  I 
have  never  been  able  to  raise  a  full  crop  from  single  eyes,  or 
small  seed  pieces  generally ;  and  in  order  to  insure  a  chance 
for  a  good  crop,  always  find  myself  obliged  to  resort  to  pretty 
heavy  seeding.  When  plant- 
ing time  approaches,  plow 
the  ground  8  or  10  inches 
deep,  or  at  least  to  the  whole 
depth  of  the  surface  soil,  if 
this  be  less.  Fall  plowing 
is  seldom  of  much  benefit 
except  on  heavier  soils ; 
neither  is  double  or  cross- 
plowing.  Mellow  the  ground 
thoroughly  by  means  of  one 
of  our  modern  deep-cutting 
harrows  (Cutaway,  disk,  etc.)  *°'  l' 

and  drill  in  the  seed  by  means  of  an  Aspinwall,  or  other  good 
potato  planter,  in  rows  3  feet  apart,  and  12  to  18  inches  apart 
in  the  rows.  Of  course,  the  potato  planter  is  usually  available 
only  to  large  operators;  and  where  the  planting  has  to  be 
done  by  hand,  furrows  must  be  laid  out  with  a  single-horse 
plow,  4  inches  deep  and  3  feet  apart,  and  the  seed,  consisting 
of  good-sized  pieces,  or  whole  small  or  medium-sized  tubers, 
deposited  at  intervals  of  12  to  18  inches  in  the  bottom  of  the 
furrow. 

In  most  cases,  especially  when  the  soil  is  not  as  mellow  as 
it  might  be,  the  treatment  of  the  furrows,  which  has  recently 
become  famous  as  the  "  Rural  (New  Yorker)  trench  system," 
will  be  found  to  give  good  results.  It  consists  in  mellowing  up 
the  soil  in  the  bottom  of  these  furrows  very  thoroughly,  either 
by  means  of  a  common  shovel-plow,  going  at  least  twice  in  each 
furrow,  or  by  devices  constructed  for  the  purpose,  such  as  I 
hope  will  be  invented  before  long  and  put  on  sale  in  every 


242 — How  to  Make  the  Garden  Pay. 

hardware  store.  This  is  done  in  order  to  give  to  the  roots 
of  the  vines,  and  to  the  tubers  also,  the  best  possible  chance  for 
development. 

The  seed  is  to  be  covered  with  about  two  inches  of  soil,  and 
this  should  be  firmed  in  same  manner  as  other  seed,  best  by 
setting  the  foot  firmly  and  squarely  upon  each  piece.  The 
fertilizer  is  then  scattered  along  in  the  half-filled  trenches,  and 
this  finishes  the  planting. 

Cultivation  should  be  begun  within  a  week.  I  have  never 
found  a  method  of  cultivating  the  potato  field  during  its  earlier 
stages  more  effectual,  cheaper  and  easier  than  by  the  early, 
thorough,  and  repeated  use  of  a  Thomas'  smoothing  harrow. 

It  gives  us  every  advantage  without  a  single  drawback.  The 
first  harrowing,  shortly  after  planting,  had  better  be  given  in  the 
direction  of  the  rows  ;  the  next  one  four  or  five  days  after,  across 
the  rows;  and  one  or  two  more,  at  intervals  of  four  or  five  days 

each,  in  the  same  way.  This 
treatment  renders  the  surface 
smooth  and  even,  mellows  and 
pulverizes  the  soil  thoroughly, 
and  so  utterly  discourages  the 
weeds,  that  they  will  not 
venture  to  show  themselves 
for  a  long  time.  Now  the 
young  plants  have  probably 
grown  several  inches  high ; 
and  the  cultivator  (Planet  Jr., 
for  instance)  must  take  the 
place  of  the  harrow.  In  the 
manipulation  of  the  cultivator, 
we  aim  to  crowd  the  row  at 
the  right-hand  pretty  closely,  and  going  twice  between  the  same 
two  rows,  stir  the  entire  surface  of  the  soil  without  leaving 
anything  for  the  hand  hoe  to  do.  Cultivation  is  kept  up  until 
the  vines  cover  the  ground. 

DIGGING,  HARVESTING  AND  STORING. — In  clean,  mellow  soil 
our  modern  potato  diggers  do  good  service.  Where  none  is  avail- 
able, a  common  one-horse  plow  (or  a  shovel-plow)  often  answers 
very  well.  Small  patches  may  be  dug  with  a  potato  hook,  or  a 
digging  fork,  or  even  a  common  hand  hoe.  If  dug  by  machine 
or  plow,  the  ground,  after  the  crop  is  picked  up,  can  be  harrowed 
over  with  the  smoothing  harrow,  thus  bringing  the  few  tubers, 
that  had  been  covered  up  and  hidden,  into  sight  for  gathering. 
The  tubers  may  be  left  on  the  ground  for  a  short  time,  and 
are  then  gathered  in  box-crates  holding  a  bushel  each,  and  thus 
drawn  to  market,  cellar,  root-house,  or  pit.  The  simplest, 
cheapest,  and  generally  most  satisfactory  manner  of  storing  for 


Cultural  Directions. — 243 

wintering  over,  next  to  that  in  root  cellar,  is  in  pits,  provided  the 
potatoes  are  covered  up  when  cool,  and  protected  sufficiently  to 
keep  them  from  contact  with  frost. 

VARIETIES. 

The  most  sensible  way  of  classifying 
our  hundreds  of  potato  varieties,  it  seems 
to  me,  would  be  by  bringing  them  under 
the  head  of  types  or  families — Early  Rose 
type,  Burbank  type,  Beauty  of  Hebron 
type,  Peerless  type,  etc. — The  following 
list  includes  the  leading  sorts : 

Early  Ohio. — Yet  the  earliest  good 
sort  with  which  I  am  acquainted.  Needs 
high  culture,  and  is  emphatically  a  garden 
potato ;  especially  valuable  for  the  market 
garden.  Cooks  dry  and  mealy  even  before 
fully  ripe.  Quality  best.  Keeps  well,  much 
better  than  its  parent,  the  Early  Rose. 

Early  Sunrise. — Another  seedling  of 
Early  Rose,  much  resembling  it,  but  con- 
siderably earlier.  Good  for  home  and 
market  garden. 

The  People's. — A  promising  new 
seedling.  In  shape  it  is  oblong  to 
round;  flesh,  white;  eyes,  shallow;  tubers 
remarkably  large  and  handsome,  of  great 
uniformity.  They  cook  dry  and  mealy. 
Mature  about  the  same  time  as  the  Empire 
State. 

White  Prize. — A  very  smooth,  hand- 
some potato  and  a  great  yielder.  Flesh, 
white;  and  always  cooks  dry  and  mealy. 

The  Potentate. — This  fine  new  variety 
originated  in  Iowa.  It  is  a  fine  keeper,  and 
claimed  to  resist  rot  better  than  most  other 
sorts 

The  Chas.  Downing.  —A  very  early 
and  promising  variety  of  recent  intro- 
duction. An  excellent  table  sort,  as  it 
equals  the  well-known  Snowflake  in 
quality. 

The  Polaris. — A  new  extra  early  of 
unusual  promise.     It   is  of  oblong  shape, 
white  skin;  eyes  few  and  shallow,  always 
cooks  dry  and  mealy.     Matures  a  week  ahead   of   either  the 
Early  Rose  or  Beauty  of  Hebron, 


244 — How  to  Make  the  Garden  Pay. 

Badger  State. — Originated  by  Mr.  Huebner,  of  Wisconsin. 
It  promises  to  make  a  place  for  itself  at  the  top  of  the  list.  Of 
large  size,  oblong  shape  and  firm  skin.  Proves  to  be  an  excellent 
shipper. 

Early  Rose. — The  well-known  early  market  variety.  So 
many  of  its  seedlings  have  been  introduced  in  recent  years, 
and  are  being  marketed  under  the  name  of  "  Early  Rose,"  that 
it  may  be  difficult  to  procure  the  pure  old  variety  under  that 
name. 

Prince  Edward  Island  Rose  is  being  sent  out  as  the  well- 
preserved  old  sort,  and  having  retained  all  its  original  good 
qualities. 

Beauty  of  Hebron. — Equals  the  Rose  in  popularity  as  an 
early  market  sort,  and  ripens  at  about  the  same  season. 

Clark's  No.   i. — An  early  sort  of  the  Rose  type. 

Early  Mayflower, 

Early  Maine, 

Morning  Star, 

Beauty  of  Beauties, 

Conqueror. — All  these  are  worthy  of  trial. 

Peerless. — An  old  sort,  much  grown  for  market,  especially 
in  sandy  soils  ;  very  productive,  but  usually  quoted  lower  than 
other  leading  market  sorts.  Food  for  the  south. 

Mammoth  Pearl, 

Mammoth  Prolific. — These  are  of  the  Peerless  type,  but 
preferable  to  the  old  Peerless. 

White  Elephant. — A  large,  late  and  immensely  productive 
Beauty  of  Hebron ;  of  fine  quality,  and  well  thought  of  in 
market. 

Burbank. — The  old  standard  market  sort.  Of  Rose-shape, 
and  pure  white  color ;  prolific  ;  a  good  keeper ;  but  of  good 
quality  only  when  grown  on  light  soils. 

White  Star. — Might  be  called  an  Improved  Burbank,  as  it 
resembles  that  sort  in  general  appearance,  but  seems  to  be 
superior  to  it  in  almost  every  respect.  Now,  next  to  the  Rose, 
the  leading  market  sort. 

Dakota  Red. — A  large  prolific  red  sort,  well  thought  of 
in  most  localities. 

Empire  State. — Very  promising ;  superior  in  yield  and 
quality. 

POTATO    (SWEET). 

Convolvulus  Batatas.  German,  Batatc ;  French,  Patate 
Douce ;  Spanish,  Batata — In  sweet  potatoes  we  have  a  most 
important  crop  for  the  middle  and  southern  states  ;  but  one 
which  will  hardly  ever  succeed  in  the  short  seasons  north  of  New 


Cultural  Directions. — 245 

York  city,  although  by  coddling  a  comparatively  few  plants,  the 
tubers  can  be  brought  to  some  size.  The  crop,  however,  will  not 
be  a  profitable  one  for  market  in  such  northern  localities. 

GROWING  THE  PLANTS. — To  start  the  beds  we  need  a  good 
strong  hot-bed,  although  not  as  early  in  the  season  as  for  egg- 
plants or  even  tomatoes.  The  manure  is  but  lightly  covered  with 
soil  or  sand,  and  the  tubers  are  spread  out  in  single  layer,  the 
larger  ones  split  in  halves,  cut-side  down,  as  closely  as  possible 
without  overcrowding.  The  layer  is  then  covered  with  3  or  4 
inches  of  sand.  Water  and  ventilation  have  to  be  given  as  for 
egg  plants  or  peppers.  In  five  or  six  weeks  the  first  plants  will 
be  large  enough  to  sever  from  the  seed  tubers,  which  is  accom- 
plished by  simply  pulling  them  up.  New  plants  continue  to  start, 
and  may  be  pulled,  and  planted  out  as  they  grow  large  enough. 

GROWING  THE  CROP. — Warm,  well-drained  soil  of  medium  fer- 
tility is  best.  Rich  soil  is  apt  to  produce  too  rank  a  growth  of  vines, 
and  make  it  almost  impossible  to  prevent  them  from  rooting  all 
over  the  ground,  and  thus  wasting  their  energies  in  the  formation 
of  large  numbers  of  tubers  too  small  for  use,  instead  of  concen- 
trating them  on  the  development  of  the  tubers  in  the  hill. 

Mark  out  light  furrows  4  feet  apart,  and  fill  them  rounding 
full  with  good  manure,  or  scatter  a  liberal  quantity  (say  800 
pounds  or  more  per  acre)  of  good  special  potato  fertilizer  in  them. 
Next  with  a  one-horse  plow  throw  a  furrow  to  the  manure 
from  each  side  of  the  row,  forming  a  pretty  good  ridge,  which  is 
to  be  smoothed  nicely  with  the  hoe,  and  thus  got  ready  for 
setting  the  plants.  The  proper  time  for  doing  this  is  when  the 
ground  has  become  thoroughly  warm,  say  from  May  I5th  to 
June  1 5th.  Set  the  plants  firmly  on  top  of  the  ridge,  about  24 
inches  apart,  leaving  them  in  the  centre  of  a  slight  depression. 
I  need  hardly  repeat  that  the  roots  of  the  plants,  just  previous  to 
setting  out,  ought  to  be  dipped  in  water.  A  half-pint  of  water 
should  also  be  poured  into  the  depression  around  each  plant. 
Afterwards  keep  well  cultivated  and  free  from  weeds,  and  occa- 
sionally lift  up  the  vines  to  detach  them  from  the  ground,  where 
they  have  begun  to  strike  root  between  the  hills  and  rows. 

HARVESTING. — After  the  first  light  frost,  the  vines  are  to  be 
cut  off  close  above  the  ground,  and  the  roots  carefully  lifted  out 
by  means  of  a  spading  fork.  Great  care  is  necessary  in  order  to 
avoid  bruising  the  tubers.  The  latter  may  be  left  out  on  the 
ground  for  a  few  hours  to  dry,  and  should  then  be  stored  in  a  dry 
and  warm  loft.  To  keep  well,  they  should  not  be  exposed  to  much 
change  of  temperature,  or  a  lower  temperature  than  50  or  55 

decrees  Fahrenheit. 

VARIETIES. 

Yellow  Nansemond. — The  leading  market  sort  in  the 
middle  states.  A  red  sort  is  now  gaining  in  popularity. 


346 — How  to  Make  the  Garden  Pay. 


PUMPKIN. 

Cucurbita.     German,  Kurbiss ;    French,  Potiron ;    Spanish, 

Calabaza. — The  cultivation 
of  pumpkins  is  the  same  as 
described  for  squash,  which 
see.  Have  the  hills  about 
12  feet  apart  each  way,  with 
2  or  3  good  plants  in  a  hill. 
Farmers  generally  plant 
pumpkin  seeds  in  the  hills 
with  their  corn,  and  often 
have  a  large  crop,  both  for 
stock  and  for  pies,  in  the 
corn-field. 

VARIETIES. 

The  following  are  excel- 
lent for  pies : 

Japanese  Pie. — This 
new  pumpkin  originated  in 
Japan,  and  is  said  to  surpass 
every  other  variety  in  flavor. 
Flesh  is  unusually  fine 
grained,  and  when  cooked 
is  almost  as  dry  and  mealy 
as  a  sweet  potato.  They 
grow  to  a  medium  size ;  are 
very  productive,  and  excel- 
lent keepers. 

Large  Cheese, 
Mammoth     Etampes, 
Potiron, 
Yellow  Sweet  Potato,  etc. — All  these  are  popular  sorts. 

RADISH. 

Raphanus  Sativus.  German,  Radies  (Rettig) ;  French, 
Radis ;  Spanish,  Rabanito. — Radishes  are  one  of  the  chief 
market  garden  crops  for  forcing  under  glass,  and  for 
early  outdoor  culture,  and  so  easily  grown  that  there  is 
no  need  of  giving  lengthy  directions.  The  whole  crop  can 
often  be  produced  and  disposed  of  within  thirty-five  or  forty 
days  from  sowing  seed,  and,  for  this  reason,  it  is  often  sown 
between  the  rows  of  other  vegetables  that  occupy  the  ground 


Cultural  Directions. — 247 

for  a  longer  period,  but,  starting  slowly,  give  the  radishes  all  the 
opportunity  needed  to  come  to  full  size.  In  outdoor  culture 
broadcast  sowing  is  not  unfrequently  practiced ;  but  it  is  a  method 
hardly  worthy  of  consideration  by  good  gardeners,  and  I  neither 
practice  nor  recommend  it.  For  culture 
under  glass  see  the  hints  given  in  the 
chapter::;  on  cold-frames  and  forcing- 
houses.  In  open  air  culture,  avoid  new 
manure  and  old  ground,  i.  e.y  ground  on 


Early  Deep  Scarlet  Olive. 


Earliest  Deep  Scarlet  Turnip. 


Mammoth  Chinese. 

which  radishes,  turnips,  cabbages,  and  other  plants  of  the  same 
family  have  been  grown  the  year  before.  Stimulate  growth  by 
light  applications  of  nitrate  of  soda.  In  the  market  garden,  to 
save  space,  the  rows  can  be  crowded  very  closely  together,  6 
inches  between  them  being  ample;  in  the  home  garden  we 
usually  plant  twice  that  distance,  or  more,  for  convenience  in 
cultivation.  In  either  case,  however,  it  is  a  good  practice  to 
utilize  the  space  between  widely  planted  crops — cabbages,  beans, 
etc. — when  first  set  out  or  sown,  by  growing  a  row  or  two  of 
radishes  between  each  two  rows  of  the  others.  The  great  enemy 
of  this  crop  is  the  maggot,  which  often  entirely  ruins  whole 
patches.  Rotation  and  avoidance  of  rank  manure  are  our  best 
weapons.  Don't  neglect  early  thinning  to  make  the  crop 
uniform. 

VARIETIES. 

These   are    divided   in  three  classes,  (i)  early   or   forcing 
radishes,  (2)  summer  and  autumn  radishes,  (3)  winter  radishes. 


248 — How  to  Make  the  Garden  Pay. 


EARLY   OR   FORCING   SORTS. 

Earliest  Deep  Scarlet  Turnip. — One  of  the  very  earliest. 
I  have  had  it  fit  for  the  table  in  less  than  twenty  days  after 
sowing.  Round,  handsome,  of  bright  color,  and  fine  quality. 

Early  Erfurt. — Another  extra  early  sort,  and  one  of  the  very 
best.  Somewhat  similar  in  general  characteristics  to  the  preceding. 

Early  White-Tipped  Scarlet  Turnip. — A  handsome, 
early,  round  sort,  bright  carmine  in  color  with  white  at  tip  end. 

Early  White  Turnip. — Roundish  or  flattened,  white, 
pungent 

White  Box  is  sent  out  as  an  improved  White  Turnip. 

Early  Deep  Scarlet  Olive. — Considered  one  of  the  best 
and  handsomest  of  the  small  or 
forcing  varieties.     Flesh  tender 
and  of  mild  flavor.     Very  early.  .^^V.K^K™.,™.,,, 

m 


White  Turnip. 

French  Breakfast. — Handsome  and  early,  and  quite 
popular  as  an  early  market  sort.  Remains  in  condition  fit  for 
table  use  but  a  few  days  after  the  bulbs  or  roots  are  fully  formed, 
hence  it  cannot  be  recommended  for  the  home  garden. 

All  these  early  varieties  are  suitable  to  be  planted  for 
succession  all  through  the  season. 

SUMMER  AND  AUTUMN  VARIETIES. 

Long  Scarlet  Short-Top. — A  handsome  second  early, 
long-rooted  variety,  suitable  both  for  forcing  and  out-door  culture. 

Long  Vienna, 

White  Ladyfinger. — Two  fine,  long,  white  sorts,  of  tender 
flesh  and  superior  flavor. 

Large  White  Summer  Turnip. — Grows  to  a  large  size, 
and  remains  in  condition  fit  for  the  table  longer  than  most  other 
summer  varieties. 

Stuttgart  Giant  White  Turnip. — Grows  still  larger  than 
the  preceding,  and  in  flavor  and  otherwise  has  many  of  the 
characteristics  of  the  winter  varieties,  and  may  be  served  in  the 
same  manner. 


Cultural  Directions. — 249 

Yellow  Summer. — A  good,  strong,  long-standing  summer 
variety  with  dark  russety -yellow  skin.  Its  flavor  reminds  of  that 
of  winter  radishes. 

Golden  Summer  is  introduced  as  an  improved  Yellow 
Summer. 

White  Strassburg  Summer. — One  of  the  finest  half-long 
varieties,  very  productive,  growing  to  large  size ;  skin  and  flesh 
pure  white ;  of  superior  tenderness  and  quality. 

1834. — Similar  to  the  above,  but  of  American  origin. 

Chartier. — One  of  the  largest  of  this  class,  smooth,  hand- 
some, long  roots ;  somewhat  late,  and  of  considerable  pungency 
but  crisp  and  tender  when  well-grown. 


Chartier. 


White  Lady  Finger.          Long   Scarlet. 


WINTER    VARIETIES. 


China  Rose  Winter. — Early,  handsome,  tender,  of  some- 
what sweetish  flavor.  Quite  popular. 

Black  Spanish  Winter  Long. — Very  black,  flesh  white, 
firm,  tender,  pungent. 

Large  White  Spanish  Winter. — A  quick  grower,  skin 
and  flesh  white.  Firm  and  pungent.  A  good  keeper. 

Large  White  Russian. — A  mammoth  in  size,  but  lacking 
in  tenderness  and  crispness. 

California  Mammoth  White  Winter,  Mammoth  Chinese. 
— Of  very  rapid  growth,  large,  tender,  and  of  mild  flavor.  I 
prefer  it  to  all  other  winter  varieties. 


250 — How  to  Make  the  Garden  Pay. 


RHUBARB. 

Rheum  Hybridum  (Rhaponticum}.  German,  Rhabarber , 
French,  Rhubarbe ;  Spanish,  Ruibarbo. — Rhubarb,  or  pie-plant, 
is  largely  grown  for  market  near  all  larger  cities,  and  found  in 
almost  every  American  home  garden.  It  is  usually  propagated 
by  division  of  the  roots,  each  eye  or  bud  with  a  piece  of  the 
fleshy  root  attached  being  capable  of  producing  a  large  plant 
within  a  year's  time.  It  also  grows  readily  from  the  seed,  at  a 
year's  delay  in  producing  the  crop.  Plants  grown  from  seed 
also  vary  very  largely  in  habit  of  growth.  Seed  is  sown  in  drills, 
12  or  15  inches  apart,  and  the  plants  thinned  to  a  few  inches  in  the 
drills.  In  fall  or  spring  following  they  are  to  be  set  out  in  same 
way  as  pieces  of  roots  from  older  plants. 

Select  warm,  well-drained  soil,  plow  deeply,  if  possible 
following  with  a  subsoil  plow,  and  mark  out  furrows  four  feet 
apart  each  way.  A  few  shovelfuls  of  rich  compost  should  be 
mixed  with  the  soil  at  each  intersection.  Then  set  the  plants 
carefully  and  firmly,  and  from  this  time  on  keep  the  ground 
cultivated  and  free  from  weeds.  In  spring  following,  the  stalks 
may  be  pulled  freely.  A  plantation  will  last  many  years,  but  the 
plants  should  be  given  a  good  dressing  of  rich  compost  every 
year  or  two.  Home  gardeners  sometimes  place  boxes,  or  kegs 
with  heads  removed,  over  the  hills  in  early  spring,  and  by  this 
means  produce  extra  long  and  tender  growth  of  stalk. 

For  winter  and  early  spring  use,  Rhubarb  is  often  forced 
in  greenhouses  and  cold-frames,  and  usually  with  very  fair  profit. 
The  roots  are  taken  up  in  the  autumn,  crowded  together  in  boxes 
or  barrels  with  a  little  soil  between  them,  and  placed  in  any  con- 
venient place  in  the  greenhouse  (under  the  benches,  for  instance), 
where  they  soon  start  into  growth.  For  cold-frame  culture  the 
roots  are  planted  closely  together  in  a  deep  frame  in  the  autumn, 
and  covered  with  a  heavy  layer  of  dry  forest  leaves.  In  February 
or  March  the  leaves  are  removed,  and  the  sashes  put  on.  Forced 
Rhubarb  is  usually  more  tender  and  succulent  than  that  from 
open  ground. 

VARIETIES. 

Victoria,  Wyatt's  Victoria. — Stalks  red,  and  very  thick. 
Leaves  broad.  Productive.  Late. 

Linnaeus,  Wyatt's  Linnaeus. — Stalks  deep  green,  early. 

ROSEMARY. 

Rosmarinus  Officinalis.  German,  Rosmarin ;  French, 
Romarin  ;  Spanish,  Romero. — A  shrub-like  perennial,  the  leaves 
of  which  are  used  for  seasoning.  Propagated  from  seed,  or 


Cultural  Directions. — 251 

more  generally  from  division  of  the  root-stock.  A  tuft  or  two  of 
it  planted  in  any  convenient,  well-drained  spot,  will  furnish  all  a 
family  may  possibly  want,  without  requiring  further  attention. 

RUE. 

Ruta  Graveolens.  German,  Rante ;  French,  Rue. — The 
leaves  of  this  little  perennial  shrub,  although  bitter  and  very 
pungent,  are  nevertheless  sometimes  used  for  seasoning.  Plants 
are  easily  grown  from  seed,  or  from  division  of  the  tufts.  Set 
the  plants  20  or  24  inches  apart  each  way  in  well-drained  but 
rather  moist  soil.  Little  or  no  further  attention  is  required. 

SAGE. 

Salvia  Officinalis.  German,  Salbei  ; 
French,  Sauge  ;  Spanish,  Salvia. — A  perennial 
shrub  of  easiest  culture,  the  leaves  of  which 
are  largely  used  for  seasoning  sausages,  meat, 
etc.  Readily  propagated  from  seed  as  well 
as  by  layering.  Sow  seed  in  early  spring  in 
drills,  in  well-drained  soil.  The  plants  will 
last  for  many  years  without  requiring  much 
attention.  It  is  largely  grown  for  market  as 
a  second  crop.  The  Broad  Leaved  is  an 
improved  variety. 


Sage. 


SALSIFY,  OR  OYSTER  PLANT. 

Tragopogon  Porrifolium.  German,  Haferwurzel ;  French, 
Salsifis ;  Spanish,  Salsifi. — It  is  only  recently 
that  people  have  begun  to  like  salsify,  and  to 
cultivate  it  more  generally.  It  is  becoming  so 
important  as  a  market  crop  that  some  market 
gardeners  near  the  large  cities  of  the  east  now 
grow  acres  of  it. 

CULTURE. — Seed  is  sown  in  spring  in  drills  12 
inches  apart,  and  the  plants  thinned  to  3  or  4  inches 
apart  in  the  rows.  The  soil  should  be  rich  and 
well  prepared,  and  kept  well  cultivated  and  hoed 
during  the  growing  season.  The  crop  may  be  dug 
late  in  the  fall,  and  stored  away  like  other  root 
crops  for  use  during  the  winter.  Frost  improves 
its  flavor.  That  part  of  the  crop  which  is  intended 
for  spring  use,  may  safely  be  left  in  the  ground 
over  winter,  and  only  at  the  extreme  north  it 
may  be  necessary  to  draw  a  little  soil  over  the  rows  for  winter 
protection. 


252 — How  to  Make  the  Garden  Pay. 


VARIETIES. 

Until  recently  only  one  variety  was  catalogued,  sometimes 
under  the  name  of  White  French.  Three  years  ago  a  much 
larger  sort  was  introduced  as  Mammoth  Sandwich  Island. 
This  is  so  much  more  productive,  and  generally  so  superior  to 
the  old  sort,  that  we  have  no  further  use  for  the  latter. 

SAVORY  (SUMMER). 

Satureia  Hortensis.  German,  Bohnenkraut ;  French,  Sar- 
riette  (annuelle) ;  Spanish,  Ajedrea. — The  leaves  of  this  bushy 
annual  are  frequently  used  for  seasoning.  Sow 
seed  in  spring  in  good,  warm  soil,  and  keep  free 
from  weeds.  Sometimes  grown  for  market  as  a 
second  crop. 

SAVORY  (WINTER). 

Satureia  Montana.  German,  Winter  Bohn- 
enkraut;  French,  Sarnetta  (vivace) ;  Spanish, 
Hisopillo. — A  small  perennial  shrub,  the  leaves 
of  which  are  used  in  same  manner  as  those  of 
the  summer  savory.  Seed  may  be  sown  in 
spring  in  any  convenient,  well-drained  spot 


Savory. 


where  the  plants  are  to  remain.     They  need  very  little  attention. 

SCORZONERA. 

Scorzonera  Hispanica.  German,  Schwarzw urzel ;  French, 
Scorsonere  ;  Spanish,  Escorzonera. — A  perennial,  cultivated  either 
as  annual  or  biennial,  exactly  like  Salsify,  with  this  difference 
that  the  roots,  if  left  in  the  ground,  will  continue  to  grow  in  size 
and  to  remain  fit  for  use.  Used  like  salsify,  but  grown  in 
America  only  to  a  very  limited  extent. 

SEA-KALE. 

Crambe Maritima.  German, Metrkohl ; 
French,  Crambe;  Spanish,  Soldanella ; 
Maritima. — Sea-Kale  is  found  in  very  few 
American  gardens.  When  well-grown,  it 
makes  such  an  excellent  dish  that  it  is  well 
worth  the  trouble  required  to  raise  it. 
Propagated  both  from  seed  and  root  cut- 
tings. Make  the  soil  very  rich  and  mellow. 
Then  plant  a  few  seeds,  or  a  four-inch  piece 
of  root,  in  hills,  three  feet  apart  each  way, 
and  keep  well  cultivated  and  free  from  weeds. 


Sea-Kale. 
If  more  than  one 


plant  grows  from  the  seed,  all  but  the  strongest  are  pulled  up  as 


Cultural  Directions. — 253 

soon  as  the  one  remaining  has  attained  sufficient  size.  At 
the  extreme  north  the  crowns  must  be  protected  during  winter 
by  a  covering  of  leaves  or  litter.  The  second  season  from 
root  cuttings,  or  the  third  season  from  seed,  the  plants  are  strong 
enough  to  yield  a  supply.  To  make  sea-kale  fit  for  use,  it  has 
to  be  blanched.  For  this  purpose  the  crowns  must  be  covered 
in  early  spring  with  sand  or  muck,  to  the  depth  of  at  least 
twelve  inches;  or  an  inverted  flower  pot,  with  hole  in  bottom 
entirely  stopped  up,  be  placed  over  each  crown,  and  further 
covered  with  leaves  or  dry  soil.  The  bed  will  last  quite  a 
number  of  years,  but  should  be  manured  with  good  compost 
every  fall  or  spring. 

SHALLOT. 

Allium  Ascalonicum.  Ger- 
man, Schalotte  ;  French,  Echa- 
lote  ;  Spanish,  Chalote. — Used 
to  some  extent  as  a  °ubstitute 
for  green  onions  in  early  spring. 
Tht  bulbs  are  usually  divided 
and  planted  in  early  autumn,  in 
rows  one  foot  apart,  and  five 
or  six  inches  apart  in  the  row. 
Perfectly  hardy,  and  coming 
earlier  than  onions,  they  are 
often  quite  a  profitable  crop  for 
market.  Shallot. 

SORREL  (BROAD-LEAVED). 

Rumex  Acetosa.     German,  Sauerampfer  ; 
French,    Osei/te.—Used  to   a  limited   extent 
r  soups  and  salads.     Usually  grown  from 
'seed,  which  is  sown  in  early  spring  in  good 
soil,  having  rows  one  foot  apart.     Thin  the 
plants  to  stand  five  or  six  inches  apart  in  the 
rows.     The  leaves   are  the  part  used.     Cut 
out  the  seed-stalk,  as  soon  as  it  appears. 

SPINACH. 

Spinacca  Oleracea.  German,  Spinat ;  French,  Epinarct ; 
Spanish,  Espinaca. — In  spinach  we  have  a  most  important  market 
garden  crop,  valuable  alike  for  open  air  culture  and  for  forcing 
under  glass.  There  is  hardly  a  time  during  the  entire  year  that 
spinach  could  not  be  produced,  or  find  ready  sale  in  the  city 
markets.  Southern  truck  farmers  grow  it  quite  extensively  as 


Sorrel. 


254 — How  to  Make  the  Garden  Pay. 

an  early  spring  crop  for  shipping  to  the  north.  Within  reason- 
able distance  from  New  York  city  and  Philadelphia  spinach  is 
largely  grown  in  cold-frames  and  forcing  houses,  and  usually 
affords  the  grower  very  fair  returns.  For  fuller  information  on 
this  point  see  the  respective  chapters. 

As  early  in  spring  as  we  can  get  the  ground  in  working 
order,  we  begin  outdoor  culture  by  sowing  seed  in  drills  in  the 
usual  way,  and  in  very  rich  and  well-prepared  soil.  Nitrate  of 
soda,  applied  in  small  and  repeated  doses,  tends  to  produce  large  fol- 
iage. Use  the  hand  wheel-hoe  freely,  and  keep  the  ground  free  from 
weeds.  When  ready  for  gathering,  run  a  sharp  scuffle  or  push  hoe 
along  the  rows  under  the  plants,  thus  cutting  them  off  close  to 
the  ground.  They  are  then  picked  up,  freed  from  dead  and 
decaying  leaves,  and  washed  clean,  when  they  are  ready  for  use 
or  market.  For  longer  distances,  spinach  is  usually  packed  in 
barrels,  having  openings  in  bottom  and  sides.  In  many  market 

gardens  spinach  is  sown 
as  a  secondary  or  auxiliary 
crop  between  rows  of  early 
cabbages,  etc.  It  comes 
off  in  time  to  give  the  cab- 
bages the  needed  space. 
For  fall  market,  seed  is 
sown  in  August,  for  win- 
ter and  earliest  spring 
crops,  in  September  and 
early  October.  Make  the 
land  very  rich,  using  the 
best  of  compost  freely.  Top  dressings  of  poultry  manure  and 
nitrate  of  soda  seldom  fail  to  increase  the  yield  largely,  and  some- 
times immensely. 

Plant  in  drills  one  foot  apart,  using  seed  very  freely  (twelve 
or  fifteen  pounds  to  the  acre),  and  firming  it  very  thoroughly. 
At  this  time  of  the  year  it  is  often  so  hot  and  dry,  that  seeds 
refuse  to  germinate,  unless  extra  precaution  is  taken  in  sowing. 
Keep  the  ground  well  cultivated  and  free  from  weeds.  Should 
the  plants  come  very  thick,  they  may  be  thinned  late  in  October 
or  in  November,  and  the  thinnings  used  or  sold.  The  main 
crop  usually  winters  over  without  loss,  but  in  exposed  situations 
should  be  lightly  covered  with  coarse  litter  or  leaves.  The  crop 
is  cut  and  marketed  in  early  spring. 

VARIETIES. 

We  have  now  quite  a  number  of  varieties,  varying  slightly 
in  habit  of  growth,  and  formation  of  leaf. 

Round- Leaf. — Very  popular  with  market  gardeners  on 
account  of  its  great  hardiness, 


Cultural  Directions. — 255 

Long-Standing  Summer. — Closely  resembles  the  Round- 
Leaf,  but  runs  to  seed  a  week  or  more  later.  For  this  reason  it 
is  decidedly  preferable,  especially  also  for  the  home  garden. 

Thick- Leaved. — An  old  market  sort,  both  for  spring  and 
fall  sowing. 

Viroflay  is  said  to  be  a  more  productive  strain  of  this. 

Savoy-Leaved. — Leaf  somewhat  curly,  reminding  of  the 
Savoy  Cabbages.  I  do  not  see  in  it  any  merits  above  those  of 
other  sorts. 

Prickly. — So  named  from  the  prickly  character  of  its 
seeds. 

SUBSTITUTES. — Various  plants  are  now  used  as  substitutes 
for  spinach,  among  them  the  following  : 

New  Zealand  Spinach,  Tetragonia  expansa. — An  annual 
with  spreading  stem,  and  thick,  heavy  leaves.  Seeds  large  and 
prickly.  Stands  the  summer  heat*  remarkably  well,  and  is 
therefore  frequently  used  in  place  of  spinach  during  June,  July 
and  August,  or  in  very  hot  and  dry  locations. 

Orache,  Atriplex  Hortensis. — Annual  with  broad,  arrow- 
shaped  leaves;  stands  the  heat  remarkably  well,  but  succeeds 
best  in  rich,  moist  soil.  Otherwise  treated  like  spinach. 

Sprouts. — Much  grown  at  the  south  for  home  and  northern 
markets.  See  Kale. 

Strawberry  Elite,  Blitum  Capitatum. — An  annual  weed, 
extremely  hardy,  and  sometimes  recommended  as  a  substitute  for 
winter  spinach  at  the  extreme  north.  When  loaded  with  its 
bright-red,  berry-like  fruit  in  spring,  it  is  quite  ornamental. 

SQUASH. 

Cucurbita.       German,    Speise    Kurbiss  ;      French,    Courge, 
Potiron  ;  Spanish,  Calabaza. — Their  rank  growth  and  demands 
for  space  exclude  squashes  from  the  market  garden,  but  they  can 
usually  be  made  a  profitable  crop  for' 
the  truck  farm.     All  squashes  thrive 
best  in  a  warm,  highly-enriched  soil 
and  in  a  warm  location.     An  old  pas- 
ture or   clover  field  is  one  of  the  best 
selections.     Apply  good  compost  lib- 
erally, plow  and  harrow  well,  and  plant 
after   the  weather    has  become   thor-         Summer  Crookneck. 
oughly  settled  and  the  ground  warm. 

Striped  bugs  are  usually  so  destructive  to  the  young  plants, 
that  it  is  frequently  considered  the  only  safe  way  to  start  plants 
on  inverted  sods  under  glass  in  April  or  May,  in  same  manner  as 
described  for  Lima  beans,  and  afterwards  plant  out  in  the  open 
field,  Mark  out  rows  four  feet  apart  each  way  for  the  bush  or 


256 — How  to  Make  the  Garden  Pay. 

summer  sorts,  and  eight  to  twelve  feet  each  way  for  the  running 
or  winter  •  varieties,  and  mix  three  or  four  shovelfuls  of  rich 
compost  with  the  soil  at  each  intersection ;  then  plant  a  dozen 

seeds,  or  set  a  sod  with  plants  in  slightly 
raised  hills.  Afterwards  cultivate  and 
.hoe  frequently,  always  drawing  some 
fresh  soil  up  to  the  plants.  Pull  up  all 
but  two  or  three  of  the  most  vigorous 
plants,  and  continue  fighting  the  cucum- 
ber beetle  and  squash  bug.  Also  guard 
against  the  attacks  of  the  squash  borer. 
Covering  the  first  one  or  two  joints,  after 
the  vines  have  begun  to  run,  should  never 
be  neglected.  The  summer  varieties  are 
gathered  and  marketed  while  young  and 
yet  tender.  The  winter  sorts  must  be 
harvested  before  frost,  and  marketed  in 
bulk  or  in  barrels.  If  carefully  handled 
H  TV  j  and  stored  in  a  dry  room,  like  sweet 

potatoes,  they  may  be  kept  until  spring. 
Winter  squashes  thus  kept  can  generally  be  marketed  during 
winter  or  spring  at  prices  that  make  the  crop  a  very  profitable 
one. 

SUMMER   VARIETIES    (C.    Pepo). 

White  Scallop,  White  Bush, 

Yellow  Scallop,  Yellow  Bush. — These  are  leading  sorts 
for  market,  differing  only  in  color  of  the  skin. 

Summer  Crookneck. — Quite  popular,  especially  for  the 
home  garden. 

Brazilian  Sugar. — A  running  variety,  fine  for  late  summer 
and  fall.  Prolific  and  of  superior  quality. 

WINTER    VARIETIES    (C.   Maxima). 

Hubbard. — The  leading  market  variety.  Fruit  dark  green, 
sometimes  marked  with  red.  Unexcelled  for  quality,  and  as  a 
keeper. 

Marblehead. — Similar  to  Hubbard,  except  in  color,  which 
is  ashy-gray. 

Boston  Marrow. — Much  grown  for  market,  and  highly 
prized  for  quality. 

Prolific  Marrow  has  been  introduced  as  an  improvement 
on  Boston  Marrow.  Both  are  fine  autumn  sorts. 

Sibley,  Pike's  Peak. — A  new  introduction,  highly  recom- 
mended. 

Bay  State. — Another  new  sort  of  great  promise. 


Cultural  Directions. — 257 

Olive. — Fruit  of  medium  size,  elongated.  Vine  remarkably 
vigorous. 

Essex  Hybrid. — Fruit  thick,  almost  cylindrical ;  of  salmon 
pink  color. 

Red  China. — A  beautiful  fruit  of  recent  introduction.  Its 
bright  color  makes  it  especially  attractive,  and  desirable  for  the 
home  garden. 

Chestnut, 

Perfect  Gem, 

Cocoanut. — Three  vigorous  growing  varieties  with  small 
but  numerous  fruits.  Quality  good.  Vines  seem  to  be  as  hardy 
as  those  of  the  bush  sorts.  Worthy  a  place  in  the  home  garden. 


No.  i,  White  Bush.  No.  3,  Marblehead. 

No.  2,  Boston  Marrow.  No.  4,  Cocoanut. 

Yokohama. — A  variety  of  Cucurbita  moschata,  from  Japan, 
of  most  rampant  growth,  and  fully  as  hardy  as  the  summer 
sorts  ;  also  apparently  less  subject  to  injury  from  bug  attacks. 
Fruit  flattened,  of  very  dark  green  color,  deeply  lobed  or  ribbed. 
Quality  good. 

THYME. 

Thymus  Vulgaris.  German,  Thymian; 
French,  Thym ;  Spanish,  Tomillo. — A  small 
perennial  shrub,  the  leaves  and  young  shoots  of 
which  are  often  used  for  seasoning.  Generally 
raised  from  seed  sown  in  April  in  permanent 
bed  and  border,  or  to  be  transplanted  to  the 
permanent  patch.  For  market,  near  large  cities, 
it  is  grown  as  a  second  crop,  planted  out  in  June 
or  July,  in  rows  one  foot  apart. 

Broad-leaved  is  the  only  variety  in  profit-         Thyme, 
able  cultivation. 


258 — How  to  Make  the  Garden  Pay. 


TOMATO. 

Solanum  Lycopersicum.  German,  Liebesapfel ;  French  and 
Spanish,  Tomate. — In  many  sections  of  this  country,  tomatoes  are 
a  leading  farm  crop,  and  grown  almost  more  extensively  than 
potatoes.  The  market  garden  has  little  use  for  them,  except  as 
an  early  or  a  forcing  crop ;  for  this  vegetable,  to  do  its  best,  requires 
more  space  than  high  feeding  and  high  cultivation.  With  good 
plants  to  start  with,  tomatoes  are  one  of  the  easiest  crops  to 
grow  where  the  climate  is  warm  enough  to  bring  the  fruit  to 
maturity. 

GROWING  THE  PLANTS. — It  is  of  especial  importance  to  start 
the  plants  early  (not  later  than  in  March)  in  hot-bed  or  green- 
house, in  order  to  get  an  early  crop.  Give  the  plants  all  the 
space  they  need  for  full  development,  during  every  stage  of 
growth,  in  order  to  make  them  stocky ;  then  harden  them  off 
thoroughly  before  their  transfer  to  the  open  ground. 

CULTURE. — To  give  the  best  results,  tomatoes  require  the 
soil  in  a.  fair  state  of  fertility ;  but  the  richer  it  is,  the  wider 
should  the  plants  be  set,  4  feet  square  usually  being  the  very 


Dwarf  Champion.  Turner  Hybrid.  Trophy. 


least  distance,  except  perhaps  for  some  of  the  very  dwarf  sorts. 
Keep  the  crop  cultivated  and  hoed,  same  as  a  good  farmer 
would  his  corn. 

WINTER  FORCING. — For  forcing  the  crop  in  greenhouse, 
plants  may  be  obtained  by  rooting  cuttings  of  old  plants  in  the 
fall,  then  planting  out  in  beds  in  greenhouse,  or  in  large  pots  or 
boxes,  giving  each  plant  a  space  of  about  2  ^  or  3  feet  each  way.  All 
laterals  are  removed  and  the  main  stalks  tied  to  stakes,  or  wires, 
or  strings.  During  the  time  of  fruit-setting  the  atmosphere 
inside  of  the  building  has  to  be  kept  dry.  This  is  sometimes  ac- 
complished by  cementing  the  bottom,  and  placing  kegs  or  boxes 
with  pulverized  dry  charcoal  or  freshly-burned  lime  about  the 
house.  Attention  must  also  be  paid  to  secure  proper  fertilization 
(fecundation)  by  striking  lightly  against  the  wires,  stakes  or 
strings,  from  time  to  time,  in  order  to  scatter  the  pollen-dust 


Cultural  Directions. — 259 

ENEMIES,  MARKETING,  ETC. — The  potato  stalk-borer  some- 
times attacks  the  tomato  vines,  and  the  green  tomato-worm  the 
foliage.  Both  enemies,  when  appearing,  should  be  hunted  up 
and  destroyed.  Tomato  rot  and  blight  appears  very  destructive 
in  some  localities,  and  the  proper  precautions,  of  which  "  wide  " 
rotation  is  safest,  must  be  taken.  The  far- 
mer and  market  gardener  can  hardly  afford 
to  stake  or  train  his  thousands  of  plants; 
neither  is  this  of  any  special  benefit.  It  is 
different  in  the  home  garden,  where  a  few 
plants,  nicely  trained,  can  easily  be  made  an 
interesting  and  attractive  feature  of  the 
vegetable  patch.  A  simple  way  of  training 
the  plants  is  by  single  stake.  Set  the  stake 
at  time  of  sotting  the  plant,  and  keep  the  Strawber~  Tomato. 
latter  tied  up  from  the  very  beginning. 

In  packing  for  distant  market,  be  sure  to  send  only  nice,  smooth 
specimens,  and  sort  out  all  the  rough  and  otherwise  faulty  ones. 

VARIETIES. 

Our  list  now  includes  a  large  amount  of  most  excellent  sorts, 
and  if  I  were  restricted  to  a  single  one,  I  would  hardly  know  which 
to  choose.  Leaving  a  few  early  dwarfish  sorts  out  of  considera- 
tion, there  is  but  little  difference  between  all  our  really  good 
varieties  so  far  as  earliness  and  productiveness  are  concerned. 
They  vary  greatly  in  color,  size,  shape,  solidity,  as  well  as  habit 
of  growth,  and  character  of  foliage. 

Dwarf  Champion. — One  of  the  best  for  the  home  garden 
and  for  early  market.  Fruit  of  purplish  color,  fair  size,  solid, 
smooth  and  uniform.  Vine  of  remarkably  stiff  and  compact 
growth;  foliage  heavy,  of  dark  bluish-green.  Earlier  than  other 
standard  sorts,  but  fruit  holds  out  well  to  the  end  of  the  season, 
and  specimens  seem  to  grow  larger  as  the  season  advances.  Can 
be  planted  as  close  as  3  feet  each  way,  and  if  staked  when  first 
set  out,  will  be  apt  to  remain  in  an  upright  position  right 
through. 

Earliest  Advance, 

Early  King, 

Atlantic  Prize. — These  three  sorts  somewhat  resemble  each 
other,  in  so  far  as  they  are  of  dwarfish  but  spreading  growth, 
lacking  in  vigor  and  productiveness,  but  will  bring  the  bulk  of 
fruit  to  maturity  much  earlier  than  the  other  varieties  that  have 
value  for  market.  Fruit  only  of  medium  size  and  not  exces- 
sively solid.  Should  be  given  high  culture. 

Matchless. — This  new  tomato  is  certainly  matchless  in 
form,  regularity  of  growth,  and  desirable  shipping  qualities. 


260 — How  to  Make  the  Garden  Pay. 

Fruit  very  free  from  core ;  in  color,  a  rich  cardinal  red,  and  less 
liable  to  crack  in  wet  weather  than  any  other  large  tomato.  It 
is  good  every  way. 

Trophy. — An  old  favorite  on  account  of  superior  solidity 
and  quality  of  fruit,  which,  however,  is  not  always  smooth. 

Acme. — A  popular  sort  for  early  market.  Of  purplish 
color;  round, smooth,  solid  and  productive. 

Beauty  seems  to  be  an  improvement  on  it. 

Paragon, 

Perfection, 

Favorite, 

Mayflower, 

Cardinal. — All  these  are  excellent  for  market  and  canning 
factory  use,  varying  but  slightly  in  their  leading  characteristics. 
Fruit  large-sized,  red,  smooth,  solid. 

Turner  Hybrid,  Mikado. — Mammoth  in  plant,  foliage,  fruit, 
and  productiveness,  but  fruit  not  always  smooth. 


Potato  Leaf  Tomato. 

Potato-Leaf. — Similar  in  habit  of  growth  and  foliage  to 
the  preceding ;  fruit  of  good  size,  purple  color,  and  uniformly 
smooth.  One  of  the  best  for  home  use  or  early  market. 

Essex  Hybrid, 

Volunteer, 

Optimus,  and  many  others  might  be  named  that  prove  to 
be  good  and  reliable  sorts  for  all  purposes. 

Golden  Queen. — One  of  the  best  of  the  yellow  sorts. 

Peach. — Quite  distinct.  Foliage  much  serrated  and  deli- 
cate. Fruit  small,  fine  color  and  shape,  growing  in  clusters. 
More  interesting  than  practically  useful,  however. 

Lorillard. — Superior  for  forcing,  but  also  does  well  in 
open  air.  Fruit  early,  large,  smooth  and  solid. 

Strawberry  Tomato  (Alkekengi),  Phy salts. — Fruits  yel- 
low, of  size  of  cherry,  growing  enclosed  in  a  husk  ;  of  sweetish, 
fruity  flavor.  Sometimes  grown  for  preserves.  The  plant,  when 
once  grown,  is  apt  to  reproduce  itself  year  after  year  from  self- 
sown  seed. 


Cultural  Directions. — 261 


TURNIPS. 

Brassica  napa  (campestris).  German,  Steckrube,  Kohlrube  ; 
French,  Navet ;  Spanish,  Nabo. — The  market  gardener  has  but 
little  use  and  room  for  turnips,  except  to  a  limited  extent  for  the 
early  flat  varieties,  which  are  grown  and  marketed  in  the  same 
manner  as  early  beets.  The  ground  is  made  very  rich  by  applica- 
tions of  thoroughly-rotted  compost,  supplemented,  if  convenient, 
with  some  good,  plain  superphosphate  strewn  in  the  drills,  and 
seed  sown  as  early  in  spring  as  the  soil  can  be  got  *in  readi- 
ness, in  drills  15  inches  apart,  using  seed  at  the  rate  of  two 
pounds  per  acre,  and  firming  the  soil  in  the  often  recommended 
manner. 

CULTIVATION,  ETC. — Use  the  wheel-hoe  as  needed,  and  thin 
the  plants,  when  danger  from  flea  beetle  injury  is  past,  to  2  or  3 
inches.  When  the  roots  are  about  2  inches  in  diameter,  pull, 
trim,  wash  and  bunch  for  market. 

TURNIPS  AS  FARM  CROP. — These  turnips  are  of  still  greater 
importance  as  a  fall  crop  for  the  farm.  Sometimes  they  find 

ready  sale  at  very  acceptable  prices  for 
table  use,  during  late  autumn  and  win- 
ter, but  usually  the  swedes  or  rutabagas, 


I  nproved  Purple  Top  Swede.  Extra  Early  Milan. 

with  their  richer  flavor,  are  grown  for  this  purpose  in  preference 
to  the  quicker-growing  flat  turnips. 

As  a  crop  for  stock  feeding  this  vegetable  is  not  yet  appre- 
ciated to  its  full  value  by  the  average  farmer.  I  have  not  yet 
seen  the  farm  where  suitable  pieces  of  land  are  not  annually 
available  for  turnip  growing  in  the  latter  part  of  the  season, 
and  after  the  main  crop  is  removed-  An  early  potato  field, 
an  old  strawberry  patch,  a  pasture  lot,  etc.,  after  the  crop 
is  harvested  in  July  or  August,  may  yet  produce  many  hundreds 
of  bushels  of  flat  turnips  (or  of  rutabagas  either,  if  early  enough) 
per  acre  the  same  season,  with  very  little  labor  and  trouble. 
Being  easily  wintered,  they  will  materially  aid  in  carrying  stock 
through  the  winter  in  good  condition,  and  with  a  saving  of  grain. 


262 — How  to  Make  the  Garden  Pay. 

But  even  if  such  land  should  not  be  available,  the  farmer 
can  at  least  provide  fora  superior  lot  of  fall  feed,  just  when 
pastures  are  short,  by  scattering  the  seed  of  the  flat  turnips  all 


Extra  Early  Munich. 

over  his  corn  fields  immediately  after  the  last  working.  The 
turnip  crop  will  make  its  best  growth  after  the  corn  is  cut,  and 
entirely  cover  the  ground  with  foliage  and  crisp  roots — alike 
acceptable  to  cattle,  sheep,  and  hogs.  Here  the  simple  expense 
for  a  few  pounds  of  seed,  without  any  other  trouble  besides  the 
little  effort  it  takes  to  scatter  it,  will  greatly  add  to  the  aggregate 
income  of  the  farm. 

RUTABAGAS. — The  rutabagas  or  Swede  turnips  are  quite  an 
important   crop  for  the  farm  garden  ;  but  while  the  flat  varieties 


in  the  latitude  of  Philadelphia  will  give  a  crop  even  if  sown  as 
late  as  the  middle  or  end  of  August,  the  rutabagas  must  go  into 
the  ground  4  or  6  weeks  earlier.  The  drills  should  not  be  less 


Cultural  Directions. — 263 

than  1 8  inches  apart,  and  the  plants  be  thinned  to  6  or  8  inches 
The  same  cultivation  and  attention  to  weeds  is  required  as  for 
other  crops  of  similar  character.  Gather  before  settled  cold 
weather;  trim  off  the  tops,  and  ship  in  barrels,  or  store  as  directed 
for  other  root  crops. 

VARIETIES — FLAT  EARLY  SORTS. 

Extra  Early  Milan. — Earliest  of  all,  and  just  the  variety 
for  early  bunching.  In  general  appearance  like  Red-Top  Strap- 
Leaf,  only  smaller  and  earlier. 

Extra  Early  Munich  resembles  this  very  closely,  perhaps 
a  few  days  later  and  less  reliable  than  the  Extra  Early  Milan. 

Red-Top  Strap- Leaf.— The 
old  reliable  fall  turnip,  flat,  white 
with  red  or  purplish  top.  Red- 
Top  White  Globe  is  introduced  as 
a  round,  consequently  more  pro- 
ductive sort  of  this  type. 

Early  Flat  Dutch. — A  fine 
white  garden  turnip,  resembling 
Red-Top  in  shape. 

White  Egg. — Of  egg  shape 
and  quite  handsome  and  productive. 

Large  White  Norfolk.— Valu- 
able for  stock. 

Among  other  sorts  worthy  of 
planting,  we  have 

Cow  Horn, 

Large  Yellow  Globe, 

Yellow  Aberdeen, 

Jersey  Lily,  etc. 


White  Rock. 


VARIETIES  OF  RUTABAGAS  OR  SWEDES. 

Improved  Purple  Top  Swede  — Of  fine  quality,  prolific, 
reliable. 

Maule's  Heavy  Cropping. — An  extra  good  sort. 

Sutton's  Champion. — Very  productive. 

White  Rock. 

Hardy  Imperial. 

Large  Wttite  French,  and  others. 


CHAPTER  XXIX. 

STRAWBERRY   CULTURE. 

IN   THE   HOME  AND   MARKET   GARDEN. 
"  And  it  was  called  the  Queen  of  Fruits." 

'O  work  on  vegetable  and  market  gardening  could 
justly  be  called  complete  if  it  had  refused  to 
take  notice  of  the  strawberry  and  its  culture, 
not  only  because  this  is  the  most  luscious,  the 
most  desired  and  desirable,  indeed  the  queen, 
of  all  fruits,  and  indispensable  in  any  well- 
regulated  home  garden — coveted  alike  by  young 
and  old,  a  most  enjoyable  luxury,  and  a  most 
potent  medicine  at  the  same  time — but  also  because  it  often  fits 
so  admirably  in  the  crop  rotation  of  the  market  garden.  The 
skilled  market  gardener,  who  retails  his  own  garden  stuff  to  local 
or  near-by  customers,  always  finds  it  a  most  useful  crop,  which 
adds  many  dollars  to  the  cash  receipts  during  a  period  of  two  or 
three  weeks  annually,  without  requiring  extra  time  to  dispose  of 
it.  A  single  crate  of  berries,  occupying  but  a  few  square  feet  of 
room  on  the  wagon,  and  adding  comparatively  little  weight  to 
the  load,  will  sell  quickly  along  with  the  other  products,  and 
increase  the  day's  sales  by  $3  or  $4.  This,  however,  is  true  also 
of  raspberries,  blackberries,  and  all  other  small  fruits.  Indeed, 
I  think  the  grower  for  local  market  can  generally  combine 
vegetable  gardening  and  small  fruit  growing  to  the  best 
advantage. 

During  the  entire  strawberry  season  we  usually  find  the 
city  markets  abundantly  supplied  with  this  fruit — such  as  it 
is — poor,  coated  with  dust,  jammed,  ill-looking,  and  anything 
but  inviting  to  people  who  are  used  to  getting  them  fresh  from  the 
garden,  in  all  their  prime  and  glory.  I  have  never  been  tempted 
to  buy  the  average  fruit  as  I  saw  it  on  the  market  stands  of  the 
cities.  It  averages  poor,  and  so,  usually  and  deservedly,  does 
the  price,  which  the  grower  realizes  for  them. 

On  the  other  hand,  really  first-class  fruit — large,  even,  fresh, 
packed  neatly  in  attractive  and  clean  packages — is  rare,  and 
always  in  good  demand  at  paying  prices.  The  premium  here  is 
on  superiority.  There  is  no  overproduction  of  fine  berries,  and 
I  do  not  think  there  ever  will  be.  Large,  well-colored,  perfect 
264 


Strawberry  Culture.— 265 

berries  have  always  been  scarce,  always  commanded  good  prices, 
and  consequently  always  proved  profitable  to  the  producer,  and 
to  the  dealer  as  well.  Like  the  onion  among  vegetables,  so  the 
strawberry  among  fruits  is  the  great  money  crop  for  the  skillful 
grower,  but  a  source  of  annoyance,  disappointment,  and  even 
loss  to  the  shiftless  manager. 

The  chief  aim  of  the  grower  must  be  directed  towards 
growing  fine  berries,  picking  them  when  just  right,  and  bringing 
them  to  market  in  best  possible  shape.  Mr.  John  Burdett  who 
lives  seventeen  miles  from  Buffalo,  and  is  known  to  fruit  growers 
as  the  originator  of  the  "  Long  John  "  strawberry,  a  particularly 
prolific  sort,  equaling  the  Wilson  in  its  best  characteristics,  picks 
his  berries  very  early  in  the  morning  (from  3  to  7  A.  M.),  grades 
and  arranges  them,  all  of  uniform  size  and  appearance  in  each 
package,  upon  fancy  plates  or  in  fancy  baskets ;  takes  his  morn- 
ing's product  to  Buffalo,  on  train  at  8  A.  M.,  and  delivers  this 
fancy  article  at  fancy  fruit  stores  an  hour  later — only  a  few  hours 
after  they  came  from  the  patch — and  always  receives  25  or  30 
cents  a  quart  for  them.  As  he  is  the  only  one  furnishing  this  class 
of  goods,  and  only  in  limited  quantities  at  that,  he  virtually  controls 
the  market,  and  gets  his  own  price  for  his  fancy  article. 

SOIL. — In  the  selection  of  soil  for  strawberries  I  would  give 
a  deep,  well-drained  clay  loam  the  preference,  although  a  good 
crop  can  be  grown  on  any  soil  adapted  for  the  production  of  a 
good  crop  of  corn.  The  lay  and  composition  of  the  land  has  a 
great  influence  upon  the  season  of  ripening.  Among  the  chief 
factors  favoring  earl iness  of  crop  are  sandy  composition  of  soil, 
porous  subsoil,  south-eastern  exposure,  and  selection  of  early 
varieties;  while  the  following  conditions,  viz.,  muck  or  clay  soil, 
clay  subsoil,  north  or  north-western  exposure,  heavy  mulch  left 
on  until  late  in  spring,  and  selection  of  late  varieties,  tend  to 
make  the  crop  a  very  late  one.  The  market  gardener  who  has  a 
variety  of  soils  and  situations  may  make  such  selections  and 
combinations  which  suit  his  particular  purpose.  By  proper  selec- 
tion of  conditions,  the  berry  season  can  be  greatly  lengthened,  or 
the  bulk  of  crop  ripened  in  just  such  season  as  the  market  may 
be  expected  to  be  most  favorable. 

Old  sod  should  be  avoided,  as  it  is  usually  infested  with 
white  grubs  (the  larvae  of  the  May  beetle),  and  with  other 
insect  enemies.  Nothing  will  fit  a  piece  of  ground  so  nicely  for 
planting  to  strawberries,  as  cropping  for  a  year  or  two  with 
onions, beets,  carrots,  or  other  close-planted  vegetables,  which  need 
high  manuring  and  thorough  cultivation,  and  leave  the  land  in  a 
high  state  of  fertility,  and  reasonably  free  from  weeds. 

MANURING. — Really  fine  strawberries  can  only  be  grown  on 
fertile  soil,  and  poor  ones  are  hardly  worth  growing.  Too  much 
manure  cannot  well  be  applied,  although  an  overdose  is  not 


266 — How  to  Make  the  Garden  Pay. 

necessary.  Well  decomposed  stable  manure  is  always  a  reliable 
fertilizer,  provided  it  is  free  from  weed  seeds,  and  if  we  only  have 
enough  of  such,  we  have  no  reason  to  look  for  anything  else. 
Under  no  circumstances  use  manure  liable  to  befoul  the  land 
with  weeds,  as  the  latter  are  the  great  curse  of  the  strawberry 
grower.  I  believe  it  is  easier  to  grow  a  good  crop  of  onions  on 
weedy  land  (although  not  an  enjoyable  task)  than  to  keep  a 
strawberry  patch  clean  when  once  well  stocked  with  weeds.  The 
latter  invariably  interfere  very  seriously  with  the  strawberry  crop. 

On  fairly  good  soil  I  have  had  most  excellent  success  with 
concentrated  commercial  fertilizers.  They  have  the  advantage 
of  being  free  from  weed  seeds,  and  may  be  used  alone,  or  in 
combination  with  smaller  quantities  of  stable  compost.  They 
also  lessen  the  dangers  from  fungus  diseases,  and  make  a  firmer 
and  better  berry  than  the  stable  manure  alone. 

Potash  fertilizers  are  of  especial  benefit  to  all  fruit  crops, 
and  I  would  recommend,  as  a  good,  safe  ration  for  strawberries 
on  most  soils,  400  pounds  of  muriate  of  potash  and  from  6,  o  to 
1000  pounds  of  bone-meal  per  acre.  Wood  ashes,  especially  if 
unleached,  are  also  a  most  excellent  manure  for  strawberries, 
being  rich  in  the  mineral  plant  foods,  particularly  in  potash — the 
one  substance  most  urgently  needed. 

PREPARATION  OF  THE  SOIL. — The  roots  of  strawberries  go 
down  deeply  into  the  ground  without  spreading  a  great  deal. 
Consequently  the  soil  must  be  loosened  up  deeply.  Stable 
manure,  if  applied,  is  to  be  plowed  in.  The  use  of  a  good  sub- 
soil plow,  after  the  common  plow,  is  always  advisable,  and  time 
spent  in  cross-plowing  and  in  thorough  harrowing  is  always  well 
employed.  If  ashes  and  concentrated  fertilizers  are  used,  they 
should  be  put  on  the  surface  after  plowing,  and  then  thoroughly 
mixed  with  the  soil  by  means  of  a  Disk  harrow,  cultivator,  or  hoe. 
If  soil  is  lumpy,  roller  or  Meeker  harrow  may  be  brought 
into  use.  In  short,  no  means  should  be  neglected  by  which  the 
desired  mellowness  and  smooth  surface  of  the  soil  can  be  secured. 
The  next  thing  is  to  mark  out  furrows  four  feet  apart,  either  with 
a  corn-marker  or  a  one-horse  plow,  taking  particular  pains  to  run 
them  straight  and  even. 

QUALITY  OF  PLANTS. — Early  fall,  or  even  summer,  is  the  time 
usually  selected  for  planting  strawberries  in  the  southern  states. 
At  the  north  we  oftener  prefer  to  plant  in  spring,  unless  we  have 
a  chance  to  get  good  plants — the  first  runners  made  after  the 
fruiting  season — not  later  than  August.  If  these  plants  are  "  pot 
grown,"  or  taken  up  with  a  clump  of  soil,  they  may  be  expected 
to  do  all  the  better. 

The  quality  of  the  plants  influences  the  result,  both  immed- 
iate and  permanent,  very  materially.  I  believe  in  "  pedigree  " 
with  strawberry  plants  as  well  as  with  vegetable  seeds,  or  with 


Pot  Grown  Plant. 


Strawberry  Culture. — 267 

live-stock.  If  the  first,  most  vigorous  runners  from  young 
vigorous  plants  that  have  not  yet  been  weakened  by  fruiting,  are 
used,  and  this  method  of  propagation  is  continued  for  some  time, 
the  strain  will  be  improved,  and  stock  of  such  strain  is  likely  to 
give  better  results  than  the  later,  and 
less  vigorous  runners  taken  from  old 
plants,  debilitated  by  years  of  fruit 
production.  The  grower  also  has  to 
take  in  consideration  that  there  are 
sorts  with  perfect  flowers,  and  others 
with  imperfect  flowers.  The  former 
possess  both  male  and  female  organs 
of  reproduction,  and  are  called  her- 
maphrodite or  bi-sexual,  sometimes 
(although  erroneously)  staminate 

sorts,  and  will  produce  fruit,  even  if  a  single  plant  or  variety  is 
standing  all  by  itself.  The  imperfect  or  pistillate  varieties  have 
a  perfect  pistil  (female  organ),  but  no  stamens,  or  these  but  imper- 
fectly developed.  Consequently  they  cannot 
be  depended  upon  to  produce  fruit,  at  least 
not  in  profusion  and  perfection,  unless  planted 
in  proximity  to  varieties  that  have  perfect 
stamens  (male  organs)  and  can  furnish  pollen 
(the  principle  of  fecundation)  to  the  pollenless 
pistillate  sorts.  Purely  staminate  plants — 
Perfect  Strawberry  those  having  no  pistils  and  always  barren — 
Blossom.  are  more  rarely  met  with.  In  buying  and 
setting  plants  these  facts  must  be  kept  in 
mind,  and  whenever  imperfect  varieties,  which  usually  are  the 
most  fruitful,  when  pollen  is  furnished  by  others,  are  planted,  a 
row  or  two  of  some  suitable  and  perfect  sort 
should  always  be  alternated  with  every  four 
or  five  rows  of  the  pistillates.  I  might  make 
this  statement  still  stronger  by  saying  that  lack 
of  proper  pollen  is  the  chief  cause  of  barrenness, 
or  of  improper  development  of  seed  or  fruit,  in 
many  plants.  Putting  many  varieties  in  close 
proximity  usually  seems  to  prove  beneficial  to 
all,  with  strawberries  as  well  as  with  many  other  bush  and  tree 
fruits. 

SELECTION  OF  VARIETIES. — No  "  best  "  variety  can  be  named. 
One  that  is  doing  elegantly  in  one  locality  often  turns  out  to  be 
an  utter  failure  when  transferred  to  another  location.  Each  sort 
seems  to  have  a  combination  of  soil,  climate  and  treatment  that 
suits  its  nature  best,  or  special  requirements  of  its  own.  The 
grower  must  try  to  learn  what  sort  or  sorts  are  best  adapted  to 
his  surroundings.  Those  giving  the  best  results  in  one's  nearest 


Pistillate 
Blossom. 


268 — How  to  Make  the  Garden  Pay. 

neighborhood   are    usually  the   ones   to   plant  and  experiment 

with.      The   highly-lauded,   expensive   novelties   had  better  be 

touched  very  lightly,  and  in  a  cautious,  experimental  way  only. 
PLANTING. — Where,  in  accordance  with  these  suggestions, 

really  good  plants  are  procured  from  a  grower  near-by,  success 

will  be  rendered  much  more 
certain  from  the  very  start, 
than  where  one  has  to  depend 
on  plants  purchased  from  a 
distance.  Reliable  nursery- 
men send  out  a  pretty  fair 
lot,  such  for  instance  as 
shown  in  annexed  illustra- 
tion ;  and  if  these  are  well 
packed, and  suffer  no  unusual 
delay  in  transportation,  they 
will  do  well  enough.  Often 
such  plants,  when  received 
by  express,  are  not  exactly 
what  we  would  wish  them 
to  be.  Immediately  after 
arrival  place  them  in  a  damp, 
cool  place,  (cellar  or  the 
like),  and  keep  their  roots 
covered  with  moist  sand 
until  wanted  for  setting  out. 
When  this  time  has  come, 

and  the  field  is  all  in  readiness,  trim  off  about  one-third  of  the 

roots  with  a  slanting  cut,  using  a  sharp  knife,  and  remove  all 

partly-decayed  leaves ;  next  dip  the  roots  in  water,  and  let  a  boy 

scatter  the   plants   along   the   rows,  one 

plant  to  every  twelve  or   fifteen  inches, 

and  follow  (or  let  your  man  follow)  on 

hands  and  knees,  taking  up  each  plant  in 

its   turn,   spreading    the   roots   carefully, 

and  plant  it  in  the  bottom  of  the  furrow, 

on  a  little  mound  of  soil,  filling  in  mellow 

earth  around  it,  so  the  crown  will  be  the 

veriest    trifle   below   the   surface   of   the 

ground,  but  not  covered.     This  is   done 

because  the  crown-growth  has  an  upward 

tendency,  and  the  plants  gradually  rise 

higher  out  of  the  ground  as  the  seasons 

go  by.     The  annexed  illustration  shows  a  fine  sample  plant,  well 

planted.     As  always  in  setting  plants  or  other  growths,  the  most 

important  point,  and  the  one  making  success  reasonably  sure  in 

any  case,  is  the  thorough  firming  of  the  soil  around  the  roots, 


Bunch  of  Strawberry  Plants. 


A  Good  Plant  Well 
Planted. 


Strawberry  Culture. — 269 

not  merely  around  the  crown.  It  need  hardly  be  said,  that  the 
soil,  when  moist,  but  yet  crumbly,  is  in  exactly  the  right  con- 
dition for  the  operation  of  setting  plants.  Where  only  shallow 
marks,  no  deep  furrows  are  made  to  indicate  the  rows,  the 
planting  may  be  facilitated  by  the  use  of  a  gardener's  trowel,  or 
one  of  the  improved  dibbers  illustrated  on  page  43. 

TREATMENT  AFTER  PLANTING. — Now  comes  the  tug-of-war. 
Weed  growth  must  be  prevented  all  through  the  season,  and  to 
do  this  the  cultivator  should  be  started  soon  after  planting,  and 
used  at  short  intervals  pretty  much  during  the  entire  season. 
Weeds  appearing  in  the  rows  are  to  be  pulled  up  by  hand,  or  cut 
out  with  the  hoe. 

Spring-set  plants  should  not  be  allowed  to  fruit,  as  this 
would  be  a  great  strain  on  them  so  soon  after  the  check  received 
by  the  rough  treatment  of  transplanting.  The  little  labor 
required  in  picking  off  every  fruit-stalk  as  soon  as  noticed,  and 
the  exercise  of  a  little  patience  on  the  part  of  the  grower,  will 
always  be  well  repaid  in  increase  of  crop  the  year  following. 
The  whole  vital  force  of  the  plant  is  thus  thrown  into  vigorous 
growth  of  the  plant  itself,  and  the  production  of  runners. 

The  amateur  frequently,  and  the  market  grower  rarely, 
practices  what  is  known  as  the  "  stool  "  or  hill  method,  which 
consists  in  growing  large  individual  plants  or  "  stools,"  and  pre- 
venting the  full  development  and  rooting  of  runners  by  their 
early  and  careful  removal.  This  method  requires  much  atten- 
tion, but  gives  fine  plants,  and  very  large  and  perfect  fruit,  but 
not  so  much  of  it  as  can  be  produced  by  the  so-called  matted- 
row  system.  This  is  the  one  commonly  practiced  by  market 
growers,  and  the  more  popular  everywhere.  The  runners  are 
allowed  to  strike  root  on  a  strip  from  one  to  two  feet  wide.  As 
the  season  advances  the  cultivator  has  to  be  gradually  narrowed 
down  until,  at  last,  we  have  a  strip  of  cultivated  ground  only 
about  two  feet  in  width.  The  cultivator  should  also  be  run  in 
one  and  the  same  direction,  not  back  and  forth  between  each  two 
rows,  so  that  the  runners  will  not  be  disturbed  or  torn  out  more 
than  necessary. 

This  frequent  stirring  of  the  soil  by  means  of  hoe  and 
cultivator  serves  another  good  purpose,  and  performs  a  most 
important  office.  The  strawberry  succeeds  best  when  the  soil 
is  moist.  In  rare  cases  only  can  irrigation  be  made  use  of. 
Usually  we  have  to  depend  on  moisture  already  stored  up  in 
the  soil,  and  supplied  by  rains.  The  underground-reservoir  is 
always  well  filled  during  winter,  and  all  we  have  to  do  during 
the  growing  season  is  to  prevent  waste  by  over-rapid  evapora- 
tion. Of  the  means  at  our  command  to  retard  this  evaporation, 
mulching  with  a  few  inches  of  mellow  soil  is  probably  the  simplest 
and  most  inexpensive,  and,  I  believe,  also  the  most  efficient  We 


270 — How  to  Make  the  Garden  Pay. 

might  accomplish  this  same  object  by  mulching  with  litter — 
straw,  hay,  saw-dust,  tan-bark,  etc. — but  it  always  involves  more 
expense  and  is  usually  less  convenient.  It  also  affords  undesir- 
able hiding  places  for  vermin,  prevents  the  needed  airing  of  the 
soil,  and  favors  the  propagation  of  fungi.  Altogether,  the  loose 
soil  mulch,  which  is  the  result  of  good  tillage,  is  usually  the 
most  satisfactory.  A  clean  straw  or  hay  mulch,  however,  comes 
very  acceptable  during  the  picking  season.  It  then  protects  the 
berries  from  contact  with  the  soil,  and  keeps  them  bright  and 
clean. 

WINTER  PROTECTION. — Strawberry  plants  are  quite  hardy, 
yet  liable  to  heave  out  by  the  freezes  and  thaws  of  winter,  and 
for  this  reason  should  be  given  a  winter  overcoat.  Without 
protection  of  some  kind,  say  by  a  mulch  of  litter  or  snow,  best 
results  ought  not  to  be  expected,  as  great  loss  of  plants,  and 
damage  to  fruit  buds  and  roots  will  be  unavoidable.  If  you  have 
a  nice  strawberry  bed,  whatever  you  may  do  with  it,  don't  neglect 
to  provide  a  winter  mulch.  It  is  not  enough  to  apply  fine 
compost  to  the  patch  in  the  fall.  Coarse,  strawy  manure  will  do 
very  well,  and  should  be  put  on  all  over  the  ground  (not  only 
over  the  rows)  as  soon  as  the  ground  is  frozen  hard  enough  to 
hold  a  wagon.  Evergreen  boughs  are  often  quite  serviceable ; 
but  nothing  in  the  shape  of  winter  mulch  can  be  superior  to  salt 
or  marsh  hay.  This  is  to  be  had  quite  cheaply  in  many 
localities.  Evenly  spread  over  the  ground  it  will  afford  a  perfect 
protection,  and  the  grower  may  feel  at  ease  concerning  his 
strawberry  bed  when  thus  covered,  in  the  most  trying  kind  of 
winter  weather. 

GATHERING  THE  FRUIT. — At  the  approach  of  spring  the 
winter  mulch  should  be  removed,  or  rolled  aside  until  the  patch 
can  be  given  a  thorough  stirring  up  with  cultivator  and  hoe. 
Whatever  weeds  start  up,  are  pulled  up  by  hand  or  killed  with  the 
hoe.  Afterwards  the  clean  mulch  may  be  put  carefully  around 
the  plants  on  each  side  of  the  rows  to  keep  the  fruit  clean. 

The  berries,  when  ripe,  are  picked  in  clean  quart  baskets, 
level  full,  and  if  for  market,  only  nice,  clean,  sound,  good-sized 
and  well-colored  berries  are  wanted  in  the  baskets.  Leave  the 
imperfect  fruit  on  the  vines,  or  throw  them  away.  Neither  is 
there  any  place  in  the  baskets  for  leaves  and  rubbish.  Straw- 
berries are  perishable,  and  do  not  improve  in  any  respect  after 
being  taken  off  the  vines.  The  sooner  they  are  us"ed  or  disposed 
of,  the  better. 

STRAWBERRIES  IN  HOME  GARDEN. — Farmers  and  towns- 
people who  grow  only  their  own  home  supply,  usually  plant  a 
little  patch  in  their  garden,  and  here  the  plants  are  set  quite 
close,  perhaps  fifteen  inches  each  way,  and  all  tended  with  the 
hand  hoe.  Here  the  ground  is  almost  always  very  rich,  and  a 


Strawberry  Culture, — 271 

large  crop  can  be  grown  on  a  small  area.  In  all  other  ways 
the  plants  should  be  treated  as  already  directed  for  general 
culture.  This  plan,  although  well  enough  suited  to  the  narrow 
limits  of  the  average  village  garden,  is  not  the  one  which  I  would 
advise  the  fanner  to  adopt.  The  size  of  his  kitchen  garden  is 
(or  should  be)  in  correspondence  with  the  greater  opportunities 
in  regard  to  area,  manure  supply,  and  available  labor  which  the 
firm  affords,  and  with  the  greater  demands  of  the  farmer's  largo 
household  for  vegetables  and  fruits.  One  acre — rather  more 
than  less — is  just  about  the  proper  area,  and  it  should  be  arranged 
somewhat  similar  as  shown  in  the  diagrams  on  pages  20  and  22. 
This  will  give  him  the  largest  possible  results  with  the  least 
possible  demands  for  hand  labor.  By  all  means  let  the  farmer 
plant  his  strawberries,  and  his  other  small  fruits  in  same  plot 
also,  in  long  rows,  as  advised  for  the  market  grower,  and  cultivate 
by  horse  power,  early,  often,  and  thoroughly,  to  save  hand  labor. 

ROTATION. — Many  growers,  especially  market  gardeners, 
take  off  only  a  single  crop,  plow  up  the  patch  after  the  fruiting 
season,  and  plant  it  to  potatoes,  turnips,  celery,  or  other  crops. 
But  if  to  be  kept  for  another  year,  the  matted  rows  after  fruiting 
should  be  narrowed  down  again,  using  a  one-horse  plow,  a  sharp- 
cutting  cultivator,  or  wheel-hoe,  and  left  not  over  6  inches  in 
width.  New  runners  are  now  allowed  to  occupy  the  whole  space 
of  the  original  matted  row,  thus  renewing  the  plantation.  Guard 
against  weeds.  I  do  not  believe  in  fruiting  a  patch  more  than 
two  years,  or  three  at  most,  and  new  beds  should  be  planted  every 
other  year  to  take  the  place  of  the  old  ones. 

INSECTS  AND  DISEASES. — The  larvae  of  the  sawfly  is  some- 
times and  in  some  sections  very  destructive  to  the  foliage.  Fora 
remedy  try  a  solution  of  hellebore,  one  ounce  to  two  gallons  of 
water,  and  sprinkle  or  spray  it  on  the  plants. 

The  strawberry  leaf-roller  is  another  destructive  foe,  the  larvae 
of  a  moth  which  is  two-b;ooded.  The  presence  of  this  worm  is 
easily  detected  by  the  rolled-up  leaves.  The  simplest  remedy  is 
to  mow  the  field  after  fruiting,  and  when  the  stuff  is  dry  enough, 
set  fire  to  it. 

For  the  crown-borer,  troublesome  in  the  west  and  far  north, 
and  the  strawberry  root-borer,  a  small  caterpillar,  I  know  no 
remedy  except  plowing  up  the  whole  patch  and  starting  a  new 
plantation  elsewhere. 

The  white  grub  has  been  already  mentioned.  The  larvae  of 
the  goldsmith  beetle  resembles  it  in  appearance  and  life  habits, 
and  should  be  managed  in  the  same  way. 

The  tarnished  plant-bug,  and  the  dusky  plant-bug  are  very 
unwelcome  visitors  to  many  strawberry  plantations,  and  little 
can  be  done  to  keep  them  off  Spraying  with  the  kerosene 
emulsion,  or  solution  of  buhach  may  do  some  good. 


272 — How  to  Make  the  Garden  Pay. 

These  and  all  other  insect  foes  can  most  easily  be  kept  in 
check  by  a  frequent  renewal  of  the  plantations  (wide  crop  rota- 
tion), and  by  mowing  and  burning  the  foliage  after  fruiting.  This 
treatment  will  also  tend  to  prevent  the  strawberry  diseases,  such 
as  scald,  rust,  etc. 

VARIETIES. 

The  following  is  a  list  of  the  leading  sorts  : 

I.     PERFECT   FLOWERING. 

Atlantic. 

Belmont. 

Bidwell. 

Captain  Jack. 

Chas.  Downing. 

Cumberland  Triumph. 

Kentucky. 

May  King. 

Miner's  (Prolific). 

Neunan's  (Prolific). 

Old  Ironclad  (or  Phelp's  Seedling). 

Parry. 

Prince  of  Berries. 

Sharpless. 

Wilson  (Albany). 

2.     IMPERFECT    FLOWERING. 

Must  have  one  or  more  of  the  preceding  list  planted  with 
them. 

Bubach  (No.  5). 

Champion  (or  Windsor  Chief). 

Crescent. 

Jewell. 

Jersey  Queen. 

Manchester. 

Warfield  No.  2. 

The  most  popular  and  most  reliable  of  the  list  are  the 
following : 

Chas.  Downing. 

May  King. 

Neunan's  Prolific.     (For  the  South). 

Parry. 

Sharpless. 

Wilson. 

Bubach. 

Crescent. 

Manchester. 

Warfield  No.  a. 


YC 


290342 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA  LIBRARY 


